


you know I will adore you ('til eternity)

by sarcastic_fina



Category: The Vampire Diaries (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-10-21
Updated: 2017-03-11
Packaged: 2018-02-22 00:56:51
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 16
Words: 165,113
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2488484
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sarcastic_fina/pseuds/sarcastic_fina
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <i>"Run all you want, but it won't change anything, Bonnie. It doesn't matter what world we're in, you'll always be my wife." </i>
</p><p> </p><p>After being sucked up into what they assumed would be oblivion, Damon and Bonnie soon find themselves in an idyllic little town where they're free to find peace. Which is exactly what they have for twelve years, until reality comes calling to bring them home.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. starting over

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **Faceclaim** : [C A S T](http://sarcasticfina.tumblr.com/eternity)

 

  
_I'll make you happy, baby,_

_just wait and see…_

_For every kiss you give me,_

_I'll give you three…_

_Oh, since the day I saw you,_

_I have been waiting for you._

**I.**

* * *

**DAY ONE**

* * *

Bonnie woke slowly, drawing in a deep breath, a yawn forcing her lips apart. She blinked repeatedly against the reaching arms of the sun, creeping through the parted, white lace curtains. Through half-lidded eyes, she stared for a long moment, her brow furrowed. There was a tree outside the window, dressed with ripe red apples, large enough that the branches seemed to bend under the weight of them. She watched the leaves gently rustled from a faint breeze, a bird walking along the length of one windy branch, chirping cheerfully. Bonnie watched it hop around happily as the dawn invaded her ears. When it finally flew off, wings beating quickly, she sleepily watched the sun crawl up the wood slat wall. She frowned, becoming more alert then, and cast her eyes around in an effort to understand where she was. The room was unfamiliar, despite the fact that she was curled up in a very warm, very comfortable bed. Soft sheets and a heavy blanket weighed down on her, one of her feet sticking out, her toes wiggling against the cool air coming in through the open window.

This wasn't her bedroom. This… wasn't her apartment or her house or any house she could ever remember being in. And, more importantly, the last thing she remembered was standing in the middle of the woods as the Other Side collapsed around her and—

Abruptly, Bonnie's head turned to the left and found none other than Damon Salvatore lying beside her, fast asleep. He was on his back, his head turned in her direction, eyes closed, deceptively innocent. The blanket was tucked only half way up his bare chest, his hair mussed and his skin… She could feel his arm against hers. He was warm. Without thinking, and more than eager to blame it on being confused and only half-awake, she leaned over, pressing her ear down against his chest.

He let out a strangled breath and opened his eyes a little, staring down at her, her hair fanned out over his skin. "Not the wake-up I was expecting, Judgy… You lost?"

" _Shh!_ " she demanded.

He pursed his lips at her before opening them to, no doubt, get into an unnecessary argument with her.

She reached up and slapped her hand over his mouth. "Can you feel it?"

He raised an eyebrow at her question, in part, she was sure, because he had no way of answering when she was covering his mouth.

Rolling her eyes, she said, "Damon, your heart is  _beating_."

His brows during down in confusion before he went completely still, and then his hand was reaching up to his neck, pressing in deep in search of a pulse. When his eyes widened abruptly, she sat up.

"You're…  _alive_ ," she said, staring at him searchingly.

His fingers quickly dug into his mouth, searching around, and then said, "No fangs. I… I'm human."

Bonnie found herself at a loss for words. This made no sense. They died. The Other Side collapsed. So why were they here? Why were they living and breathing and… in bed together? It came out a soft whisper, a question more than a statement: "Grams?" She'd said she'd done something, hadn't she? She'd planned for some backdoor hope at reviving Bonnie, or at least giving her a chance at…  _peace_. Anything other than oblivion. But here she was, in a bed, with a pulse and air in her lungs, and the sun slowly creeping over the window sill.

"So, what? This is take two on life?" Damon asked, pushing up to a seated position, his back leaning on two stacked pillows, stuffed up against the wrought iron bars of the bed. "What are your witchy little ancestors playing at? Were they all out of two bedrooms in the afterlife or what?"

"You think  _I_ know? I'm just as confused as you are," she returned, her eyes darting around thoughtfully. "Do you know where we are? I mean… Do you recognize anything?"

Damon took a deep breath and let it out slowly before he shoved the blanket off his legs and stood from the bed.

Bonnie felt a sudden stab of relief to find he was wearing pants. She wouldn't have put it past him to have lost them in the crossover, nor would she had been surprised if he'd decided to walk around in his birthday suit just to irk her. Walking around the bed, he made his way to the window and shoved his head outside to take a look around. She watched him impatiently, asking, " _Well?_ " when he didn't immediately tell her anything.

"Nope. No idea," he replied, leaning back inside. "Little chilly out though. Feels weird."

"Can we focus? We have no idea where we are or why! Shouldn't we… I don't know,  _do_ something?"

He shrugged. "Like what?"

"I… I don't  _know_. I just… This isn't what I was expecting," she sighed, her shoulders slumped.

"Look, we're dead… Kind of." He waved a dismissive hand. "Maybe this is heaven, or maybe it isn't. But until we take a look around, see where we are, we can't really do much."

"So what do you suggest? We just… go outside, walk around the neighborhood?" She raised an incredulous eyebrow.

"Before we woke up, you were ready to blink out of existence entirely, maybe you should just be glad that we didn't." He turned on his heel and started for the door then. "I hope this place has hot water, 'cause I need a shower."

Bonnie stared after him, shaking her head, and then hopped off the bed to follow after him. " _Damon!_ "

He glanced at her over his shoulder as he walked down the hall, glancing around and checking the doors he passed. "Linen closet… Storage…? Another linen closet... How many linens do we have…? Ah, bathroom." He flipped the light on and walked toward the shower stall set up in the corner, a claw-foot tub opposite it. He reached inside and turned the tap, leaving his hand behind to test the water. "We sharing, Bon-Bon, or does the afterlife reserve  _some_  privacy?"

Putting her hands on her hips, she said, "Fine, but when you're done, we need to sit down and figure some things out."

"What, like a chores list? I'll vacuum, you dust. Preferably in a cute French maid's outfit."

She sighed his name again, heavy with exasperation. "Damon, this is not  _normal_."

"What, in our completely abnormal lives,  _is_ normal?" he wondered, shaking his head. He reached down, hooking his thumbs in the sides of his pajama pants. "Last chance not to see the goods, Bennett…" He smirked then and gave her a wink. "I won't hold it against you if you linger."

Rolling her eyes, Bonnie grabbed the door handle and yanked on it, slamming the door loudly before she stomped off down the hallway, bristling when she heard his amused laughter chase after her. Of all the people to be trapped in the afterlife with… Then again, she wasn't so sure it  _was_ the afterlife. Maybe Damon had a point. They could take a walk around the neighborhood, see who else had traveled on over. Maybe her Grams was somewhere out there and she could explain what was going on.

Deciding she would need a shower too, she took a walk around the house in hopes of wasting time. She stepped out of the hall and into a kitchen and dining room area, a large fireplace directly across from a quaint little dining table, wearing a small glass jar of slightly wilted flowers and salt and pepper shakers. The kitchen was nice, a long island in the middle, topped with a few appliances. Against the wall was cherry wood countertops with a double sink, stove and fridge. The place was clean, smelling lightly of… was that cinnamon? The cupboards were filled with matching plates, cups, and bowls, silver pots and pans, the fridge was stocked with food, and a Kiss the Cook apron hung from a hook on the wall beside a calendar. There was a pantry, overflowing with everything she could think of, and a small closet with a mop, broom, and dust pan.

Moving through the kitchen, she paused beside the front door, a window set in it to see whoever came knocking. She could hear the faint song of a wind chime and peered outside to the small porch, a creaking swing gently dancing. There were various pots of flowers and plants set all around and the yard was nicely kept, a healthy green and newly mowed. There were stones set in a pathway leading down a small hill to the sidewalk. The driveway had a silver Prius in it, the keys of which hung on a hook by the door, over where a three or four different pairs of men's and women's shoes sat. A coat rack wore a nice autumn jacket she assumed was her own and a black and red checkered work jacket that looked soft to the touch.

She turned on her heel and hugged her arms around herself, chewing on her lip as she continued her curious search. There was a door leading into a small laundry room with a basket half full of clothes the other half already folded up on a counter, waiting to be put away. There was a couch, big enough for two people to comfortably share, end tables on either side of it, and close enough to the fireplace to enjoy its warmth. There was no television, just a radio on the island that looked out on the dining and living room. Bookshelves stood tall on either side of the fireplace, stocked full of every title she could and couldn't recognize, some in languages she couldn't begin to guess at. She ran her hand over a plaid blanket tossed over the back of the couch and wandered around a little more, pausing by the coffee table, where a few of her favorite magazines sat, a few more on natural herbs and homemade crafts. A mason jar full of cinnamon sticks sat in the center, cornered by two unlit candles.

"So, what'd you find?"

She looked up abruptly, briefly surprised to see Damon standing in front of her, rubbing a towel over his head, making his dark hair into messy, wet spikes. He was dressed. Sort of. His shirt was unbuttoned and left open, and his jeans fell rather low on his hips. She refused to let her gaze linger as a bead of water tripped down his skin from his throat and instead met his gaze. "We have food, clean clothes, a car…"

"Running water." He hung his towel around his neck and held onto the ends with his hands. "There's another room in the back too, thought it was storage, but it looks like an office, it's full of boxed up merchandise. Herbal, witchy-looking stuff, so I'm thinking it's yours… There's a few boxes you had special ordered, not even opened yet. Looks like you make the rest of it yourself though." He grinned. "Or maybe you have a few  _minions_  to do your bidding."

"You make it sound like there's another me, one that lived this life…" she pointed out.

He shrugged. "Maybe there is. Maybe we're in alternate-Bonnie's world. Where she's a normal human with a candle store and a  _hot_  boyfriend."

"Or maybe it's just a suggestion of what I  _could_ do…" She sighed, rubbing her hands over her arms. "This is weird. Don't you think this is weird?"

"Seen weirder." He stuck his pinkie finger in his ear and wiggled it around in an effort to get water out from inside. "C'mon, you shower, I'll make us something to eat, and we'll figure things out after."

Bonnie sighed, not exactly happy with the idea, but unable to come up with anything better. Walking past him, she made her way down the hall. There was a silk robe hanging on the back of the door, a deep violet color, that she assumed was supposed to be hers. Stripping out of her clothes, she tossed her pajamas into the laundry basket against the wall, and hopped into the shower. If they really were stuck there, she planned on using the bathtub to the fullest, but for now she needed to be quick. She wanted answers and she didn't feel like waiting for them.

By the time she got out of the shower and was dressed, she found the kitchen empty. Panic bubbled up inside her as she called out for Damon, searching around. As much as she'd kicked up a fuss about him being there and not worrying about their circumstances, he was still the only person she knew who was there with her. Since the door leading outside was cracked open, she took it as a sign and stepped outside, shouting a little more frantically than she wanted, "Damon!?"

"Over here!" he answered.

Bonnie turned and found, with some uncertainty, that he was standing in the neighbor's yard, petting their dog and nodding along to something the older man was saying. Bonnie walked over, arms wrapped around herself protectively and offered a forced smile. "Hi…?"

Standing, Damon stepped back and wrapped an arm around her, pulling her in close to his side. "You remember our neighbor, Mister Bernard…" He flashed his eyes wide at her and grinned back at their neighbor. "We're still working on names. It's been a busy month since we moved in." His hand squeezed her hip and Bonnie jumped a little.

"Yeah, yes! Busy month. So, uh, so many boxes to unpack and… stuff." She winced at her lackluster acting.

"Mister Bernard was just telling me how nice it is to have neighbors again. Our new place was empty for quite a while, no  _bites_  while it was on the market… So he's happy to see some new faces on the block."

Bonnie smiled at their neighbor, a man pushing, if not past, his sixties. He looked nice, dressed in khaki shorts and a plaid shirt. He wore his socks like her father did, rolled up as near to his knees as they would stretch.

"Call me Tom," he said, reaching over to shake Bonnie's hand in a friendly fashion. "I was telling your boyfriend here to keep an eye out for your other neighbor, Gladys, she can be a stickler about noise. You two keep it pretty quiet, no rowdy parties so far, but even so. Me and the wife had a barbecue this past summer and she put in a noise complaint. Eight o'clock at night, sun hadn't even set, and she was already kicking up a fuss." He shook his head. "Anyway, I gotta get going. Bette here won't walk herself. It was nice seeing you two again. My wife, Leslie, she keeps mentioning she'd like to invite you over for supper sometimes, but I noticed you get home pretty late. That new shop of yours must be keeping you busy. I've only heard good things."

When she didn't answer, Damon squeezed her hip. "Oh, um, yes, it does, thank you." Bonnie smiled awkwardly.

"We'll get back to you on that offer for dinner, Tom. Just as soon as we've got our schedules figured out," Damon told him, grinning.

"Sounds good. You two have a nice morning." He nodded in farewell before whistling for his dog to follow and started down the path to the sidewalk.

As he turned his back, Bonnie gave Damon's shoulder a shove and then turned on her heel to stalk back toward the house.

Rolling his eyes, he followed after her. As the door closed behind him, he said, "What? You're mad at me? I did what you wanted, I did some recon, checked in with the neighbors. According to good ol' Tom, we're just a normal couple that moved in about a month ago. City slickers." He smirked. "Wanted a break from the busy streets of New York and settle down somewhere nice, so we came out here. You have your own natural remedies store, sells everything from natural vitamins and supplements to the bordering-on-witchy grab bags that any old crackpot can sit in a little pentagram and make their grossly selfish wishes in. And candles. Apparently you make a  _ton_ of candles. Some for relaxation, stress relief, yadda yadda, and some just because they smell good. Speaking of smells good…" He walked past her into the kitchen then. "How do you feel about pancakes?"

Bonnie felt like her head was going to explode, filled to the brim with knowledge she couldn't quite process.

While she stood, leaning against the island, Damon raided the cupboards and fridge for everything he needed to make pancakes from scratch. Seemingly happy in his surroundings, he started whistling a tune under his breath and grabbed up a burgundy dish towel to toss over his shoulder as he worked.

It was a few minutes before she finally asked, "What do you do?"

"Hm?" he asked, cracking an egg over a large bowl.

"I own this… shop, but what do  _you_  do?"

He shrugged. "What? I can't be a trophy boyfriend?"

Bonnie rolled her eyes, tapping her foot impatiently.

Amused by her, he said, "I'm a handyman or something. I do contract work. Build houses, odd jobs, just me and a hammer… And some guy named Danny, I guess. We carpool."

"You…" She blinked. " _Carpool?_ "

"Mmhmm." He nodded, digging around in a few different drawers until he found a whisk and waved it at her triumphantly.

"Damon." She walked toward him, staring at him searchingly. "How are you so okay with this?"

He sighed, looking up from the pancake mix. "What did you think was going to happen when the Other Side collapsed?" he wondered.

She shook her head, her brow furrowed. "I… I don't know. Best case scenario, we'd end up in heaven or… something."

"Right. So. Here we are." He waved his whisk around. "This is  _something_."

She opened her mouth to reply, but found herself without anything  _to_ say.

"It's like I've said… We could've…  _Pfft_." He snapped his fingers. "Disappeared into nothing. But here we are. Might not be our idea of heaven, but… hey, Tom seems nice."

She blinked at him. "Yeah…" A frown turned her lips down though.

"Look, I don't know what it is, I don't know how long it'll last. But I'm not a vampire and, I'm guessing, you're not a witch, or the anchor, or  _whatever_. We died. We are  _dead_. And maybe it was Sheila or maybe it was something else, but we got a house, jobs, and a chance at… something. Something that isn't  _nothing_. So let's just… ride it out." He shrugged, ducking his whisk down into the bowl. "Worst case scenario, it's temporary, we get ripped out of here too. So why not just let things happen?"

"Let things happen…?" She shook her head. "Since when do you just go with the flow and not try to change it?"

He sighed. "Maybe I'm tired." He lifted his shoulders high in a shrug. "I got Stefan back. He's alive. That's all I wanted. I knew going into this thing I might not walk away. I knew the chances of me walking away, unscathed, were small. It's over. This is where I am. Maybe in a few days or a week or whatever, that won't be enough and we'll start tracking down leads and see what we can do about changing it. But for right now…" He raised an eyebrow. "I wanna eat a pancake."

She stared at him and gave a soft sigh.

"What about you,  _Bon-Bon?_ " He grinned teasingly. "You wanna pancake?"

Despite herself, she gave him a smile. "Better be the best pancake I've ever had in the afterlife, Salvatore."

He smirked then, chuckling under his breath. "Coming right up."

* * *

**DAY THREE**

* * *

"You know, the gentlemanly thing to do would be to give me the bed... The couch is comfortable. Or the floor…"

Damon readjusted the pillows under his head and arched an eyebrow at her. "If it's so comfortable, why don't  _you_ sleep on it."

Bonnie pursed her lips at him and flopped backwards on the bed, tucking an arm behind her head. "Fine, so it's not comfortable long term. But maybe we should get another bed or something, put it in the office…"

"Because you have so much room in the office," he mocked.

Turning onto her side, she glared at him. "Instead of shooting down my ideas, you could try offering some of your own!"

"Here's an idea," he said, mock-cheerfully. " _Go to sleep_." With that, he closed his eyes, playing at rest.

Bonnie glared at him a while longer, but eventually turned back over. "We're talking about this in the morning," she warned him.

"It's a bed, Bennett. You stay on your side, I'll stay on mine. If something about that changes,  _then_ we'll talk."

She pursed her lips. "Sounds a lot like you want to keep sharing, Damon."

"I've had worse bed partners," he muttered. "Not by a lot. But worse all the same."

"Is this the part where I swoon?" she snarked.

"Preferably it's where you shut up and go to sleep."

Bonnie stayed quiet for all of six seconds before rolling over onto her side. "I don't get it. You used to want as much space as humanly possible between us. So what's the difference now?"

Groaning irritably, Damon rubbed the heels of his hands into his eyes. "You're not going to stop, are you?" He laughed humorlessly. "Of course not. You know, I'm beginning to think this is  _actually_ hell."

"You want hell, I can  _give_ you hell," she warned.

Sighing, long and loud, he shook his head and, in an uncharacteristically honest moment, admitted, "It's comforting, all right?"

She blinked. "What?"

"I find it comforting that you're there. I go to sleep, you're there. I wake up, you're there. You're the only familiar thing I have here. I'm sure there's a ton of people we'd both rather be sleeping beside, but this is it. It's just us. So yes, I want to keep sharing the bed, because as much as we'd like it to be different, we're all we've got." He smirked at her, but there was no malice there.

Bonnie stared at him a long moment, her shoulders slowly loosening up. She was sure she would regret it later, there was no doubt he would get on her nerves again, and soon. But in that moment, she understood what he meant, and she couldn't help but agree. When she woke in the mornings, there was a stab of relief to find him still there. The world they were in was normal, so far as she could tell, but it was still strange, in the way things were when they weren't familiar. She wasn't quite sure how they got there, or how long it would last, but she was glad that she wasn't alone. So maybe he wasn't who she wanted to be falling asleep beside or waking up next to, but he would do. "Okay."

"Okay?"

She nodded and then turned over, facing the window. "For now… Temporarily… Okay."

He didn't say anything, but she knew he heard her.

Eventually, when they weren't so desperate for any kind of familiarity, then they would figure it out. If that meant getting separate places or just separate rooms, then so be it. Until then, maybe having him right there wasn't the worst. At least he didn't snore.

"For the record, you talk in your sleep, so… if anyone's getting the raw deal here, it's me."

Never mind. Bonnie grabbed her pillow out from beneath her head and socked him in the face with it. "Shut up," she told him before tucking her pillow back under head. "And go to sleep before I change my mind."

There was a pause then before, amusement clear in his voice, he answered, "Yes, dear."

* * *

**DAY FIVE**

* * *

Damon was not a fan of early mornings. He didn't mind them so much before, when a bag of blood could wipe away any lingering exhaustion, but these days, he was just as susceptible to sleep as any human, and a bag of blood wouldn't do him any favors. Contrary to popular belief, or at least Bonnie's, he didn't mind work. He even liked it on some level, being useful, having no serious worries hanging over his head, it was oddly peaceful. It was just the waking up in the morning part he didn't like so much. Having a routine helped; a quick shower and making breakfast usually put him in a pretty good mood. Especially if whatever he made for breakfast ticked Bonnie off. Wasn't his fault if she was so easy to annoy, or that he enjoyed it so much.

Regardless, after walking down the path to the waiting truck at the curb, he let out a long yawn and pulled the door open. There was no time for him to greet Danny before his co-worker said, "So these two fish are in a tank, right? First fish looks at the other and says, 'How do you drive this thing?'" With a snort, he slapped his hand down on the steering wheel, shaking his head with amusement.

Damon blinked at him, let out a long-suffering sigh, and took a seat in the truck, closing the door behind him. "That might be your worst one yet."

"You say that every day," Danny dismissed cheerfully.

"And every day your jokes get worse."

"Part of my charm, I guess." He pulled the truck out onto the road and started for work. It was quiet for all of thirty seconds, before he said, "You want to hear a pizza joke?" Before Damon could reply that no, he seriously did not, Danny jumped ahead to say, "Nah, never mind, it's super cheesy."

Hell. He was definitely in hell. And yet… His mouth ticked up at the corner. Raising an eyebrow, he turned to Danny, "How do you kill a vegetarian vampire?"

Danny grinned. "How?"

"You  _steak_ it in the heart."

If there was one good thing about Danny, it was that he always laughed at Damon's jokes. Even the terrible ones. Even the ones he regretted making, which he currently did, because that was terrible.

* * *

**ONE WEEK**

* * *

" _Damon!_ "

He winced at the shrill level of her voice and leaned over from the island to peer down the hallway. "Yes, honey?" he called out mockingly.

Stomping out of the bathroom, she glared at him, her eyes narrowed and her mouth pinched. "You  _left_ the toilet seat up…  _Again_."

He shrugged one shoulder. "Whoops."

Bonnie's hand curled up into a fist. "Tell me, how long have you and Elena been sharing space, huh? In all that time did she just  _not_ house train you?"

Damon rolled his eyes. "Common mistake. I'll work on it."

Bonnie huffed a breath out through her clenched teeth.

He tipped his head knowingly. "You're trying to make my brain pop, aren't you?" He snapped his fingers. "Too bad your witchy juju didn't transfer over here with you, huh?"

Stomping her foot, she whirled around and made her way back to the bedroom.

"Love you too, Bon-Bon!" he called after her, before chuckling to himself and returning his attention to the food in front of him. He was ninety percent sure that vampcakes weren't going to win him any favors, but he rather liked her all worked up anyway.

* * *

**TWO WEEKS**

* * *

Bonnie sat in the corner of the couch, her legs up under her and a magazine in her lap. As she turned the page, she answered, "No."

Damon rolled his eyes. "What do you mean  _no?_  It's the only car we have."

"It's the only car  _I_ have.  _You_ carpool," she replied.

"To  _work_!" he exclaimed, his eyes wide with incredulity. "I'm not going to work, I'm going to the  _store_. To get food for my lunch tomorrow.  _For work_."

She shrugged. "Should've thought of that when I was going grocery shopping. I asked you if you wanted something."

He pursed his lips at her. " _No_ … you said 'I'm going shopping, don't do anything stupid.'"

She smirked up at him then, flipping a page in her magazine. "It was  _implied_."

Damon sighed. "I'll be a half hour, tops. I'm not going to crash your car." Mockingly, he added, "I know I only have a  _century_ 's worth of driving experience under my belt, but I think I can manage."

Bonnie shook her head. "No dice."

" _Fine_." He scowled at her as he sat on the coffee table, staring at her thoughtfully, before he finally offered an insincere smile. "Bonnie, plague of my current existence, will you  _please_ drive me to the grocery store…" He batted his eyes at her dramatically.

She stared at him a long moment, happy to make him wait, and then offered a half-smile. "Sure, Damon, bane of my  _every_ existence, I'd be happy to." Standing from the couch, she moved toward the front door, slipping on a comfortable pair of sandals. "Besides, we both know you always get the wrong yogurt and then complain about it non-stop anyway."

He frowned after her, following her out the door. "The packaging is the same. It's deceptive."

"Uh-huh." Amused, she twirled her keys around her finger and walked to the car.

"And I noticed you didn't pick up whipped cream, which I need, for—"

"You're not making pancakes," she told him.

" _Vamp_ cakes," he corrected, smugly. "And it's not my fault if you have no sense of humor."

Bonnie sighed, a headache forming at her temples. "It wasn't funny the first time, it's not funny now."

Damon put his seat belt on and clapped his hands. "Fine. I'll make waffles."

"Will there be  _fangs_ on these waffles?"

"You know, for a woman who wakes up to a freshly made breakfast every morning, you're being awfully  _picky_ …"

Pulling out of the driveway, she said, "Maybe it's the cook."

" _Rude_."

Her mouth twitched with a smile. At least until he started fiddling with the radio. Briefly, she wondered if there was a way to block the classic rock station. Then again, his air-guitaring  _could_  just be worth it…

* * *

**ONE MONTH**

* * *

Her shop was something of a Godsend. While she thought she'd be overwhelmed, as soon as she stepped inside, everything felt right in her world. The old wood shelves were, according to one of her employees, built by Damon himself. Though she had no proof of that, seeing as it must have happened before they  _appeared_. The previous Damon and Bonnie (if there even was such a thing, because she was still pretty sure it was just a pre-made world with a pre-built life rather than real people they'd replaced), had been together nearly three years. As long as they had actually known each other. Naomi, who worked at the shop five days a week and occasionally on weekends, was fifteen years Bonnie's senior, with two children, but treated Bonnie with the deference an employer and friend deserved. Naomi seemed to love working for and with Bonnie and took great pride in being there as soon as the doors opened and until they closed.

Each area of the store was sectioned off with homemade wood signs that hung on thin silver chains from the ceiling. There was remedies for anything from headaches to the common flu, foot odor to mild pain, all tucked against one wall. Vitamins and supplements filled a six-shelf cabinet beside it, which she had specially shipped in every few weeks. The candles were their best sellers; she'd never seen so many scents before. Naomi mentioned that they often got together on the weekends and made the candles together, with much of the stock taking up space in Bonnie's office at home. In another aisle, there were lotions, body sprays, lip balms, deodorants, shampoos and conditioners, all of which were organic. And finally, there was a small stand near the front that sold homemade jams and jellies, made by a local woman that delivered to Bonnie every Sunday afternoon. After three months, Bonnie was happy to see that her store ran smoothly, welcoming a nice crowd each day. They were open Monday through Friday and closed every afternoon at five-thirty, which was about the time Damon showed up, dropped off by Danny to join her on the ride home.

From 9 am to 5:30 pm, Bonnie found herself in a space that she had grown to consider  _hers_. The house was perfect; it was beautiful and comfortable and homey. She wouldn't have picked Damon to be her roommate, but it could be worse. Here, though, she felt like she was in her element. Some of the herbs were hand-picked and Bonnie was happy to traipse around the woods and find them with either Naomi or her much younger employee, Kayla. A girl still in high school with a special affection for all things wiccan. During the week, the employees cycled through on which days and shifts they worked, but Bonnie was always there. She did her own inventory and kept a record of sales that she went over each night. The store brought in a comfortable amount of money, it seemed most of the people in town were happy to look for a natural remedy instead of what the pharmacy had to offer. She wondered, of course, if that was just a construct of this world, that they would make a little more than enough to maintain that comfortable life. It seemed very little ever really went wrong in town, the complete opposite of Mystic Falls. In many ways, Bonnie appreciated that. She never felt the overwhelming urge to find a way to help everyone. Instead, she directed people to what was on the shelves, she told them how to relieve stress or pain and what ointment would do what when put where.

It was calming and easy and, as soon as she stepped through the doors, she felt a wave of relief ease over her. It smelled like honey and sage, the old wood floors stained to a nice shine, the shelves all hand crafted and the labels all of her own making. She imagined Grams would love it. She would happily spend her days there with Bonnie, sipping sweet tea as she gossiped about what was going on around town and asked her how things were in her life. She missed her Grams. She missed a lot of people, but none more than her Grams. And she wondered, more often than not, if she was proud of her, happy for her, if she'd given her this town and this store as her way of making up for all that she'd given up or lost. It wasn't perfect, not really. If it was, she would have Caroline and Elena, Matt and Jeremy, and even Tyler there with her. But it was, in many ways, a peaceful life, one that she probably never would have had if she'd lived. So for that, she was grateful.

The bell rung above the door and Bonnie grinned, happily greeting her next customer.

* * *

**THREE MONTHS**

* * *

"Where are  _you_ going?" she asked, looking up as he walked through the living room, leather jacket on. "And why do you smell so good?"

Damon smirked back at her. "Thank you for noticing. Although, for the record, I  _always_ smell good."

Bonnie rolled her eyes and stood from the couch, readjusting her shirt as it rode up her sides. "Damon…"

"Relax,  _mom_ , I'm going to Sadie's Pub. Danny asked me if I wanted to get a drink, and since  _somebody_ never leaves the house to do anything  _fun_ …"

"I  _do_ things," she argued, frowning.

"Yeah, Bonnie, you work." He pulled his boots on as he watched her chew on her lip, leaning against the side of the couch. With a sigh, he said, "Didn't Naomi ask you if you wanna go bowling tonight?"

"Yeah, but…" She trailed off, her brow furrowed.

"So go." He reached back and grabbed her jacket off the coat rack, holding it out for her. "Go. Have fun. Try smiling…" He tapped her nose and told her, mock-sternly, "Make friends, not frowns."

Her lips twitched and she glanced away for a moment. "I'm not very good… at bowling."

"Doesn't matter if you're good. You just gotta out-bowl the other guy." Circling her, he put her jacket over her shoulders and left his hands there, squeezing lightly. "Worse comes to worst,  _cheat_. It's what I do."

Bonnie shook her head, smiling despite herself, and tucked her arms through the sleeves of her jacket. "Thank you.  _I think_."

A honk outside alerted them Danny was there to pick him up then. Circling around her, Damon gave her a wink as he walked to the door. "Have fun tonight," he said, before he walked outside to meet his friend.

She watched him go for a moment, keenly aware that this was a step. A somewhat monumental step toward moving on, moving  _forward_. She didn't like to think Damon was right,  _ever_ , but he had a point. She went to work and she came home; she'd become somewhat of a hermit. And maybe that was because she missed her friends, her  _real_ friends, or maybe it was because she was unwilling to admit that things were different and they might just  _stay_  that way. But the time for burying her head in the sand was up. Maybe this wouldn't last, this little idyllic town with its perfect life all laid out for them. And maybe it would. Either way, she was going bowling. Because she  _did_ deserve a night off. She rarely got those, alive or dead. It was time to change that.

* * *

**SIX MONTHS**

* * *

To say Bonnie and Damon got along famously would be a bold-faced lie. They fought. Regularly. Often about stupid, insignificant things. It was just in their nature. And, to be honest, she was almost completely sure that half the time he disagreed with her just for fun, not because he sincerely disagreed, and probably because he liked driving her nuts. There were some days that she honestly wished she'd died with just about  _anybody_ else. But, and she was loathe to admit it, more often than not, she was actually glad it was Damon that transferred over to this world with her. So far, from scouring the small town they lived in, she couldn't find anyone else she knew. When they tried calling anybody back home, either the number didn't exist or somebody they didn't know picked up. This world was completely disconnected from theirs, and Bonnie had no idea what to make of that. So, she did what Damon did, she went with the flow.

They had built up a sort of schedule over the time they'd been there. They were getting comfortable, and she wasn't sure what to make of that. She still missed home like a giant, gaping hole in her chest, but there were some days that she didn't even think of it, didn't think of the fact that the world they were in wasn't  _theirs_. She opened her store with a smile, she greeted customers, learned their names and their stories, and she went home each night, sharing dinner with Damon, doing the dishes before they sat on the couch, each reading a book or a magazine as they relaxed. And that clawing panic, that flinch she expected whenever the phone rang or someone knocked at the door, expecting the worst, expecting Klaus or doppelgangers or any level of evil to come wreak havoc, began to dwindle as nothing but normal, average life started to take over.

She went to sleep each night, with Damon beside her, hogging half the bed, and stopped wondering if tomorrow would be different.

But some nights, the nostalgia, the homesickness, swept her up, and she lost herself in wondering if they missed her, if they were trying to get them back, if they'd simply accepted they were gone and had moved on. She wasn't sure which she wanted.

In the darkness of their bedroom, she couldn't help herself from whispering. She knew he was awake; she could always tell when he'd fallen asleep. He didn't snore, but his body relaxed incrementally until, finally, his whole weight seemed to sink into the bed, a giant, unmoveable rock beside her. It was oddly comforting; he was steady, he was familiar, he was always there. "I miss home," she said, her voice so quiet she was sure he couldn't hear her, despite the lack of space between them.

He didn't answer right away, and she wondered if he even would. But then, quiet as could be, he said, "Me too."

That was new. Usually he pretended he didn't care, that he'd completely and totally accepted that home was gone. It annoyed her most of the time, that he was so blasé about everything. Maybe it was the darkness that let him admit it, that let him be honest with her.

She turned over onto her side, her cheek atop one of her hands. "You don't look it. You seem… content."

He mimicked her, turning over to face her, and gave a heavy sigh. "What can I say, I've gotten good at adapting to things like this over the years."

Her eyes washed over his face for a moment, faintly lit by a shaft of moonlight. "What do you miss the most?" She raised a finger. "And don't say sex."

His mouth ticked up at the corner. "Mostly bourbon."

"You can get bourbon here." Now that she thought about it, however, he never seemed to. Wine, beer, sure, but never his favorite drink.

"Sure, just not with Ric or Stefan there to drink it with me…" His mouth pressed into a firm line. "I miss  _them_. All of them. Even Little Gilbert, as annoying as he usuallyis…"

Her eyes fell for a moment, teeth digging into her lip.

"I know I'm going to regret this, but… what's wrong?" he wondered.

She offered a sad smile as her eyes burned with tears. "I want them to be happy." She let out a watery laugh. "I want them to move on and be okay and, I don't know, hopefully get out of Mystic Falls or away from whatever's always chasing them. I just— I don't— It's selfish, I know it is, but I don't want them to forget me." Her mouth wobbled. "I miss them, I'm always going to miss them, and I don't know  _where_ we are or how long we'll be here or if one day, I'll turn around and Caroline will be walking down the street but she won't know who I am. I don't know any of that. But I remember what Elena's hugs feel like and I remember how much Caroline always made me laugh and I remember how Jeremy smells, and I just… I don't want to forget that, I never do. I just want them to remember me too."

He reached for her, not quite hesitantly, but slowly all the same, and he brushed his hand down the side of her face, his knuckles dragging down her cheek before his fingers pushed her hair back. He rubbed his thumb under her eye to swipe at a stray tear and she watched a muscle tick in his cheek as he ground his teeth a little. "They're not going to forget you." She opened her mouth, but he wouldn't give her a chance to argue. "I've been around a long time. The people that really matter, the people you love, you don't forget them. You still miss them, twenty, thirty, a hundred years later, you just… you get used to missing them. And eventually it doesn't hurt as much not to have them right there beside you. But you don't forget. Stefan, Caroline, Elena, they'll, hopefully, outlive us by… centuries. And even then, they're gonna remember you just like you do them." He swallowed tightly and shook his head. "You're not the forgettable type."

Bonnie gazed up at him, taking his words to heart. He could just be saying it to get her to stop crying, but if that were the case, he probably would've gone a much more sarcastic route. Maybe it was all the time they were spending together or maybe it was something else. But in order to bring a little more levity back, she dried her tears and said, "You're going soft over here, Damon. Not one snarky insult in there at all."

His mouth ticked up. "I'm human now, which means I can use the 'tired as hell' card." He turned over onto his back and readjusted his head as he tucked his arm behind it. "You good?"

"Yeah." She followed his example and turned back over, staring up at the ceiling. "You know… If you wanted to leave… If you wanted to get your own apartment or something, have space, I wouldn't blame you."

He was quiet for a long moment before he asked, "You trying to get rid of me?"

"No," she answered sincerely. "It's just… It's like you said. We might be here for… _ever_. And if we are, if this is what the afterlife is going to be like, I… I won't hold it against you if you wanted to see what it had to offer." She sighed, closing her eyes. "I'm just… I know I just broke down on your shoulder and I know I kind of rely on you to be my normality here, because you're the only one who knows what this all feels like, who remembers them, who  _misses_ them, but… I don't want you to feel obligated to stay, you know? I… You don't owe me anything."

He hummed non-committally and, after a few tense seconds told her, "I'm not looking to trade in our cozy setup for a bachelor pad anytime soon, if that's what you're hinting at… I'm good where I am. So if you want out, say the word, but until then…"

She nodded slightly and then, in a soft but sincere whisper, said, "I'm good too."

He nodded. "Good."

A few minutes passed then, until the words built up in her throat to a degree that couldn't be ignored. "Damon?"

"Hm?"

"You're not forgettable either… You know that right?"

When he didn't answer, not even with a sarcastic quip, she thought about pursuing it, but, as time passed, she wasn't quite sure what to say or how to comfort him. So she bit the inside of her cheek and focused on the pain there instead.

Nothing more was said and Bonnie closed her eyes, waiting, as she did most nights, to feel his body slowly become more and more relaxed. When she knew he was asleep, she turned her head to look at him. They didn't always get along, he took extra-long showers just to annoy her; he always made whip cream faces on her pancakes, often with fangs; he called her every annoying pet name in the book just because he knew it bugged her; he always left the toothpaste cap off; he used up her shampoo and never replaced it; his taste in music was questionable; he very rarely recognized the boundaries of personal space; and he was arrogant, sarcastic, and borderline crazy at times.  _But_ … she was glad she had him. He might not always be her favorite person, but he definitely had his moments.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this was originally a oneshot, but it became so long I had to break it up into chapters. I wanted to establish a friendship between them before it leaks into romance and before they're, eventually, returned to 'life' with their friends and family. Also, their banter is really fun to write, so it was actually entertaining to delve into the early days of their time 'away.' I hope you enjoyed this and I plan to have the next chapter up soon. I did add a few nods to what was going on in the show, but since I started this before season six began, I didn't want to change it all to fit in with canon.
> 
> Thanks so much for reading! Please leave a review, especially since this is my first time writing Bamon, as I"m usually a Steroline writer.
> 
> \- **Lee | Fina**


	2. new and old

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **Faceclaim** : [C A S T](http://sarcasticfina.tumblr.com/eternity)

**II.**

* * *

**EIGHT MONTHS**

* * *

' _Curiosity killed the cat,_ ' was one of her father's favorite sayings.

' _But satisfaction brought it back_ ,' echoed in her mind, in a distinctly Damon-like voice.

That was why Bonnie was sitting in her car, idling just outside of the 'Welcome' sign that stood on the edge of town, where the highway led in anyone who thought to enter. Only, no one ever did. It was something she picked up on a few weeks back. Nobody new every seemed to visit; everybody knew each other, greeting one another by name, waving as they passed each other in the streets. That wasn't so unusual; she'd grown up in Mystic Falls, where everybody was familiar with each other. But they still had traffic, people passing through town for gas or visiting for a weekend or during the summer months. It wasn't like that here. And, considering she was fairly sure that this was an in-between world of some kind, a hold over between life and the oblivion, she wondered just how far it reached. Was the town isolated, or did it reach beyond the city limits? Could she travel? Take a plane somewhere? Or were they confined to this one small town?

It would be so easy. Just drive forward, see what else was out there, but instead, she continued to idle.

It was easy to forget that the world around her might not be real. Easy to get caught up in the normality of it all. There were seasons here, holidays that felt so realistic she could almost forget that none of it was real. Were the people that worked for her the phantoms of people who had died in the real world? Did they, like she and Damon, have any idea they were gone? That this was just a shadow of the world they'd left. She wouldn't know it from talking to them. They all seemed to accept this world as their own, as if they'd been there all their lives.

Sometimes she wished she could forget. She wished she could get lost in this world and let it become reality. She wished she could stop worrying about her friends back home; if they were okay, if one day she might turn around and see them walking down the street, unaware of who she was, just another face to add to the crowd. Sometimes she would see a flash of blonde hair or she would hear a laugh that sounded  _so_ like Elena's and she would whirl around, searching for them, only to find unfamiliar faces passing her by.

But she couldn't forget. She had to know.

With a shaking hand, she reached out and put her car into drive. Slowly, she pressed her foot down on the accelerator and drove forward, past the sign. She watched, brow furrowed, as the trees on either side began to blur, the road becoming a mottled gray color, like running paint. And then, in a blink, it was gone. Her car was idling once more, this time facing the town, on the other side of the 'Welcome' sign again. So that solved it then, there was no leaving, no life outside of this small town. They were confined to this area, no chance of exploring or seeing the rest of the world.

She should have been disappointed. And, in one way, she was. She wanted to explore. She wanted to have the option of packing up and leaving whenever she wanted, of leaving Small Town USA and instead going to see what the rest of the world had to offer. She'd never had the chance before, when she was alive, so this could have been her chance. But it wasn't. Because she died. She sacrificed herself for everybody else. Over and over and over again. And this is what it got her.

Bonnie smiled, letting out a hysterical little giggle, and then she dropped her face, forehead falling to her hands on the steering wheel, and she cried. She cried for the life she'd lost and the days she wished she'd been selfish enough to want a real future, all her own. She cried for the mornings she woke up happy that she wouldn't have to fight some new bad guy, that she wouldn't have to drain herself dry trying to keep her friends alive. She cried for her Grams' and her dad and even her mother. She cried and cried, until she was hoarse and tired and relieved. So damn relieved.

This was her life now. There was no changing it. No running from it. She had her store and her home and Damon. And she didn't know how long it would last, if one day she might just get ripped out of this world too, but for now, it was hers, and she was free and normal. It wasn't perfect, not by a long shot, but it was safe and quiet and it had its moments; its fun, carefree, happy moments. She could live with that. For now.

* * *

**TEN MONTHS**

* * *

Damon was whistling as he walked into the house and tipped his sunglasses down his nose as he found a woman, equally beautiful, but not nearly as smart-alecky as Bonnie, standing in his kitchen. "Naomi," he greeted, shrugging his jacket off and looping his sunglasses in the collar of his shirt. "Lemme guess, you've finally taken me up on my offer to elope."

Grinning at him from where she stood stirring a pot of  _heavenly_  smelling spaghetti sauce, Naomi shook her head. "Sadly,  _for you_ , I swore off marriage a long time ago. Don't let that stop you from asking though, I  _do_ like the ego boost."

Damon held a hand to his heart. "All my dreams, dead and buried, right here." He kicked his shoes off and made his way into the kitchen. "What am I supposed to look forward to now, huh? Who could live up to the Naomi-shaped hole in my heart?"

"Well, if she ever gets her head out of her work, I think Bonnie might be able to help you with that."

Stealing a slice of cheese off of a plate on the island counter, Damon popped it in his mouth and took a long look down the hallway, humming disapprovingly. "She's still working? She promised she was going to quit at noon and spend some time relaxing..."

"Oh, she did, for about an hour." Naomi frowned. "Then she invited me over and, one thing led to another, and—"

"Don't tell me…" He put his hands together in the prayer position. "Experimental lesbian kiss."

Naomi rolled her eyes at him. "You wish," she muttered, waving a dish towel at him. "We started talking about work and she got distracted, said she needed to recheck the stock.  _I_ went ahead and started dinner. She already picked everything up anyway. I know she said she was going to make you dinner tonight, but once she gets on a work tear, there's no talking her out of it," she sighed.

Damon nodded, turning on his heel and starting toward the hall. "You're staying for dinner, right?"

Shaking her head, Naomi tapped the wooden spoon against the side of the pot. "'Fraid not, handsome. I've got two hungry kids that should be home any minute now… Tell your girlfriend she owes me girl time that doesn't involve work." Undoing the apron from her waist, she tossed it to the counter and started for the coat rack by the front door. "Have a good night, Damon."

"You too. And hey…" He grinned. "You ever change your mind about marriage, you know where to find me."

She scoffed. "Honey, you couldn't handle me on your best day." With a bit of a hair flip, she turned and walked out the door, an extra swing in her hips.

Smirking, Damon returned to his task, making his way down the hall to the office where Bonnie spent entirely too much of her time. He leaned against the doorjamb and knocked his knuckles against the wall. "You about done in here? Your afterlife-bff just took off… She made what smells like a  _really_ awesome spaghetti sauce, too."

"Naomi left?" Bonnie looked up from where she was surrounded by various bottles. "I didn't get a chance to talk to her about the new batch of oils we got in."

"Oils?" He raised a curious eyebrow. "Like the fun kind?"

Bonnie rolled her eyes as she pushed up from the floor and gave her legs a shake from sitting for so long. "Yes, Damon, I like to keep the kinky massage oils right next to the foot odor powder." She walked past him into the hall and started toward the kitchen.

Damon followed after her, and he would be lying if he said he hadn't noticed how amazing her legs looked in the shorts she was wearing. "You know, I hear it's only good business to test out your own product from time to time…" He leered at her playfully. "Whattya say, Bon-Bon, want me to put my hands to work on your tense back?"

She scoffed. "Somehow I highly doubt you'd stick to just my back."

"I can't be held responsible for where else you hold tension." He shrugged. "I'm just here to help. Your friendly, neighborhood,  _handyman_ …"

Bonnie's mouth twitched with amusement. "Maybe some other time," she said, making her way to the pot simmering away. "Did Naomi say anything else before she left?" Before he could answer, she qualified, "That  _didn't_ have to do with you  _relieving_ my stress, her turning down your latest marriage proposal, or anything in that general ballpark."

He hummed, leaning a hip against the counter. "She said you needed to hang out again soon, preferably somewhere you wouldn't be distracted with  _work_." He raised his eyebrows. "Thought we talked about you taking today off."

" _No_ … I said I'd take a  _break_. I didn't say I'd take the  _whole_ day off," she corrected, scooping out a taste-test of the sauce and licking her lips before she held the spoon out for him.

He leaned forward and wrapped his mouth around the spoon, slurping up the sauce and nodding approvingly.

Bonnie reached up to wipe at the corner of his mouth absently and licked the remaining sauce off her thumb. "There's too much to do. I just got in new merchandise and I'm not  _exactly_ sure where I want it to go… It's either clear out some of the old stuff or put in a new section, which…" She sighed, shaking her head. "I don't exactly have time for."

Damon shrugged. "I've got time."

She looked over at him, brow furrowed. "I know Peter mentioned you built the shelves originally, but that was the  _other_ you…"

"Other me, this me, doesn't change anything. You want shelves, I can build 'em." He pushed off the counter and made his way to the pantry, digging out the spaghetti noodles. "Just say the word and I'll get started building."

Bonnie stared at him a long moment as he walked back toward her. "Just my friendly, neighborhood, handyman, huh?"

He grinned down at her and tapped her nose with the spaghetti noodle box. "Exactly."

After a moment, she nodded. "All right, if you think you're up to it…"

"Definitely." He dug out a pot and filled it with water before joining her by the stove. "On one condition."

"Here we go..." she muttered under her breath.

"Take tomorrow off."

She blinked up at him. "What?"

"Take tomorrow  _off_. Completely. Go do something fun, take Naomi with you, whatever, just get your head off of work for a while." He, rather dramatically, hip checked her out of the way to get their spaghetti noodles going then and Bonnie frowned, leaning back against the counter, her arms crossed.

"That's it?"

"Mmhmm." He dusted his hands off and turned to look at her. "No work, no stopping by the shop, no going over inventory, none of it. Just a normal, relaxing day."

She tipped her head thoughtfully, staring up at him, and then, after taking a deep breath, she said, "Okay."

His mouth turned up at the corner. "Yeah?"

She nodded slowly. "Yeah. Deal." She held a hand out for him to shake.

He let out a snort of a laugh, but he shook her hand all the same. Before she could let it go, he gave her a little twirl and pulled her into his side. "Now, what do you say you open a bottle of wine?"

"On it."

As she walked off, Damon smirked to himself, more than a little satisfied with the outcome. When he became so focused on making sure Bonnie didn't work herself to death, he had no idea, but reminding her to live a little was just up his alley.

* * *

**ELEVEN MONTHS**

* * *

Bonnie forgot sometimes, how charming Damon could be, how  _human_  he was. And he was, more than anything else. Here, in this world, he was flesh and blood. If she were to press her ear to his chest, she would hear the steady thump of his heart, long ago questioned to have ever existed. It was different now. Everything was different now. But they had adapted. They lived their lives and relied on each other and worked jobs they happened to really enjoy.

Leaving Damon to entertain her modest employee group —there were only five of them in total— Bonnie found herself wandering her store, moving down the aisles to make sure all the candles had their ribbons and labels facing front. She could spend hours here, lost in her inventory, making sure everything was just the way she wanted it. Time was lost to her, drifting away, absolute calm engulfing her as she paused to sniff a few candles she and Naomi had put out just that morning. The warm scent of pumpkin spice filled her senses. Thanksgiving was just around the corner and these ones in particular, along with mint and candy cane, were selling better than the rest. Her smile quickly dimmed, her lips turning down instead.

"Someone's  _mopey_ …"

She let out a sigh as his voice interrupted her thoughts and looked back at him over her shoulder. "Have they left?"

"Naomi said she had to get home to her kids, and since she carpooled with Kayla and Brandon, they went with her. Peter offered to close up, but I figured you'd stick around a while longer anyway, so he and Annette left." He walked toward her, his head cocked curiously and his hands tucked into the pockets of his jeans. "What's on your mind? You've been  _extra_  introspective today…"

She stared at him a moment, watching as he plucked a candle up from the shelf and gave it a sniff. Cinnamon. It was his favorite. She knew because they had a large collection at home and he always chose the cinnamon to light up. Nowadays, she found herself linking the scent with him. Cinnamon, leather, and red wine. She wondered if the cinnamon scent reminded him of anything in particular or if it was just a nice nod to the season. Even Damon could get sentimental.

"Just feels strange. Thanksgiving is one of those seasons you're supposed to spend with everyone who means something to you. Makes me thinks of Grams… Big family dinners, lots of homemade food, Caroline overdoing it with decorations…" She smiled sadly. "I miss them."

He hummed, nodding. "Well, I can't guarantee a family dinner, but we can do something, make our own traditions. I'm not a crafts person…" His lip curled a little, and she could only imagine his frustration as he was forced to make a table display, which only made her grin in amusement. "But I can handle the cooking if you want to do the rest."

"Yeah? Turkey with all the fixings?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Sure… Cranberry sauce, stuffing, candied yams, you name it, Bennett, and I can cook it." He tapped her nose with the end of his finger in a gesture that was becoming more and more affectionate over time. He grinned when she slapped his hand away and put the cinnamon candle back on the shelf. "You ready to go home or you wanna stay here? 'Cause I'm getting a headache from all the candle fumes."

"We can go." She put her own candle back, readjusting it so it was facing forward, and then moved out of the aisle, walking to the back office while Damon shut off the lights and checked the front door to make sure it was locked. The crime rate in their sleepy little town was basically non-existent, but that didn't stop him from being cautious. When he returned, she leaned into his hands as he placed her hand-knit shawl, a gift from Naomi, over her shoulders and gathered up her sales and inventory books. He took them from her hands and carried them under one arm as they left out the back door. She locked it up behind them before following him to their car.

"I picked up a few things for dinner tonight…" he told her as he pulled out of the parking lot. "A nice red wine to go with our pasta and some French bread."

Bonnie felt her mouth turn up faintly and let her head fall to one side as she watched him, his attention on the road until he felt the weight of her gaze. He turned toward her, a brow raised and a warm smile pulling at his mouth. "What?" he asked, a faint laugh in his voice.

She stared at him thoughtfully. "You like this, don't you?"

His eyes fell for a moment before he turned them back to the road. "What's not to like, huh? I'm alive, there's no crazy supernatural jerk out to kill us… everything's easy. Normal." He shrugged. "Boring sometimes, sure, but it could be worse…"

Bonnie hummed, nodding to herself, and then ran her hands over the lines of the books in her lap.

Damon, uncomfortable with the thoughtful silence, turned on the radio, twisting and turning the knob until he found something he liked; something loud enough to drown out the honesty of his words. Because he did like it. She knew he did. He might miss home, miss everybody they left behind, but he liked how normal his life was. He liked waking up at the crack of dawn and sharing breakfast with her before the honk of a horn told him Danny was there to carpool to work. He liked popping a loud kiss on her cheek before he left, calling out, "Have a good day, honey!" in a cheesy, exaggerated voice. He liked that he had a routine and someone to come home to and that his day wouldn't be interrupted by the next big problem. He was content. And maybe there was a little guilt in that, knowing who and what they left behind. But that couldn't change how he felt. And it couldn't change how she liked it too.

So she let herself sink into the passenger seat, she let the music on the radio soothe her, and she looked forward to the dinner Damon would make and the wine waiting on them. She looked forward to going home. Their home. Small enough for only two, for only them, and perfect for the exact same reason.

* * *

**ONE YEAR**

* * *

Bonnie frowned up at him. "You don't think this is a little weird?"

"What's weird about it? It's a milestone, isn't it? People celebrate milestones." He shrugged, handing her a few drinks to carry back to the table.

"I'm pretty sure we're not supposed to celebrate the day we  _died_ , Damon." She kept her voice low, her eyes darting around to make sure nobody had heard. The bar was packed, but either no one was paying them any attention or the music was loud enough that nobody could hear them.

Damon nodded his chin in thanks to the bartender and grabbed the necks of a few other beers between his fingers. "Was that in the handbook? I don't remember reading the chapter on what was and wasn't socially acceptable in the afterlife," he said to her mockingly.

Rolling her eyes, she followed beside him as they made their way back to the table where Danny, his girlfriend Carla, Naomi, Brandon, and his boyfriend, Chris, were all cluttered around a table, waiting on them. "You know what I  _mean_ …" She stared up at him, her brows hiked. "And what did you tell them anyway?"

"That you've been working your pretty little butt off and we wanted to have a night out for once. Not a lie, if you think about it. You spend five days a week in your store, and most of your weekends getting ready for the work week. Anybody ever tell you that all work and no play makes Bon-Bon a dull witch?" He pouted his lips at her and winked before she frowned in reply. "Come on…" he cajoled. "You need a night off, I need a night off, there's a karaoke machine in this joint, and we already paid for our drinks. What's a couple hours, huh?"

"Karaoke?" she asked skeptically.

"Yes, and we're signed up to go any minute now, so put on your game face. We're gonna blow these amateurs outta the water."

Eyes wide, she whispered quickly, " _We what?!"_

As the song finished up on the stage— an off-tune rendition of Queen's Bohemian Rhapsody, an entirely over karaoke'd song in Damon's opinion— a manager hopped on stage to take the mic back, half-smiling, half-grimacing, and said, "All right folks, it's Bonnie and Damon up next, singing…  _Whatta Man_ , Salt n' Pepa."

Bonnie turned toward him, her lips pursed. " _Seriously?_ "

Damon grinned. Stopping by the table, he dropped the beers off with everybody, taking them from Bonnie's hands too.

Rubbing his hands together excitedly, he winked at the gathered group, who were already hooting and hollering in support, and then snagged Bonnie's fingers to pull her toward the stage.

"Damon," she growled. "We are  _not_ singing that. It's not even a  _duet!_ "

"Too late now, should'a said something earlier." He pulled her up the stairs, wiggling his eyebrows at her as he took the mic from the manager and turned, his arm wrapping around Bonnie's waist and pulling her in close. "Ready?"

She arched an eyebrow at him. "What do you  _think?_ "

Unperturbed, he merely handed her the mic. "You get to start, so be sure to bring your A-game."

As the song started up, Bonnie let out a heavy sigh. She raised the mic to her mouth and looked to the screen, where the lyrics were written, waiting for her to begin. With a blink, she shook her head and, deciding to just go with it, opened her mouth to sing, " _Whatta man, whatta man, whatta man, what a mighty good man…_ "

Not the least bit ashamed, Damon gave her a spin, swaying happily to the beat, and, despite herself, Bonnie started to smile, laughing to herself before she launched into the first real verse.

So it was a weird thing to celebrate, being dead a whole year, but, all things considered, it was one of the calmest years she'd had in a while, and maybe she did deserve to have a little fun. Even excluding everything that happened when she was alive, she'd been working hard to keep her shop going and create some semblance of a normal life here. So what was one night of blowing off a little steam?

As it turned out, watching Damon spend the rest of his night, a little bit drunk and a lot eager to sing was, surprisingly, a lot more fun than she expected. She might just have to make it a regular thing.

* * *

**…**

* * *

Bonnie frowned as she stepped out of the back storage room of her store to find Kayla sweeping the floor. Closing and locking the door behind her, Bonnie carried the inventory book with her to the front till. "Hey," she said, offering a half smile when Kayla jumped, turning to see her. "Aren't you here a little early? You don't get off school for another hour…"

Kayla tugged her earbuds out and let them hang around her neck. "Oh, well, it was just Trig. I'm ahead in the homework anyway, so I figured I'd just come in early."

Bonnie raised an eyebrow. "Yeah… Do your parents know you're here?"

Shrugging, she turned her attention back to her sweeping, her long dark hair falling in waves and curls, pulled over one shoulder. "Did you hear Miss Cora was planning on bringing in some homemade honey for us to sell?" she asked, changing the subject. "She said her bees are producing more this year than usual. That'll be cool."

Bonnie watched her curiously. "You know you can talk to me right…? If something's going on at school or home, we can talk about it. Any time you want."

Kayla glanced back at her over her shoulder, one of her long silver earrings swinging. She had silver studs and hoops pierced all along the shell of her ear. "Yeah, I know."

"Okay." Bonnie cast her attention back down to her books, even as she tracked Kayla's movements around the room. She couldn't help but be reminded of Elena when she looked at Kayla, and it wasn't just the long, dark hair or the olive skin. It was the way Kayla moved, how she waited for the burden on her shoulders to get to be too much before she shared it. The difference was that Kayla wore her emotional turmoil in her dark clothes and her piercings where Elena always tried to fit in and follow the latest fashion trends, presenting a 'put together' appearance even when her life was falling apart at the seams.

Finally, after more than twenty minutes of aimlessly walking around the store or stocking shelves, Kayla made her way back to Bonnie, picking at her chipped, maroon nail polish. "Did you always know you wanted to open up a shop like this?"

"What do you mean?" Bonnie wondered, laying her pen down and sitting back on her stool.

"Well, you moved her from New York, right? So you grew up in the city…"

Bonnie shook her head. "I grew up in a small town, a lot like this one, actually."

"So you went to the city to get away from it but then moved back?" Kayla's brow furrowed. " _Why?_ "

"Is that what you want to do?"

Kayla shrugged. "I don't know… I mostly just want to fit in. Kind of hard to do in a place like this."

"Why's that?"

"You ever just feel like you're completely different from everyone around you?" Kayla blew out a breath and shifted her feet. "I was always into weird things, I guess. I told my mom I was a witch when I was six. She told me I didn't know what it meant and that I was a princess." Rolling her eyes, she shook her head. "You know what sucks about princesses…? They're not  _dragons_."

"And witches are?" Bonnie's mouth turned up in a smile.

"Witches are strong and powerful. If they want fire, they can  _make_ fire, you know?  _That's_ what I want."

Humming, Bonnie nodded. "Well, you see, your first problem is that you think a princess can't be a dragon. Anybody can be a dragon. It's all about how you  _think_ , not about what you  _are_. If you want to be strong, confident, you want to be your own person, you have to think that about  _yourself_ , everybody else will just follow in your example." Shrugging, she said, "My Grams used to tell me I could be anything I wanted to be. So I am. I don't always make the right choices, but I try to. I didn't always speak up, but I do now. I didn't always feel like I fit in, so I  _made_ a place for myself. And you should too. Just make sure you're doing it for the right reasons. You're not going to find yourself hidden somewhere else. You'll find you hidden in  _you_."

Kayla half-smiled up at her. "So that's the big secret, huh? Accept yourself and fuck the rest."

"Maybe with less profanity, but…  _yeah_. That's the secret."

Rolling her eyes, Kayla laughed under her breath, and reached up to tuck her hair behind her ear. "Okay. I guess I'll work on that… I've got a few years before I can hit the road anyway, right? Might as well figure out me while I'm at it."

"Sounds like a plan." Bonnie smiled. " _Until then_ … How would you feel about stocking the vitamin section?"

"As long as it's not the foot odor remover, I'm your girl." Kayla walked off to the storage room with that and Bonnie smiled to herself. There was no guarantee their talk would fix anything, but she did like that Kayla saw her as someone she could trust. And it kind of felt good to dole out advice; she hadn't been able to do that in too long. A pang in her chest reminded her how much she missed Caroline and Elena, but she noticed it wasn't quite as strong as it had been more than a year ago. That was something, she guessed.

* * *

**…**

* * *

"I can't tell if you're being lazy or…" she trailed off.

Damon rolled his eyes. " _Hey_ , reading happens to be one of my favorite pastimes."

" _Okaaay_ …" She narrowed her eyes at him. "Then why are you getting  _me_ to read to you?" she wondered.

"Quid pro quo, Bon-Bon. You read, I rub."

Bonnie glanced down to her feet, currently perched in Damon's lap, and then back at the book in her own. " _Fine_. But only because I had a  _very_ long day…"

He waved a 'get on with it already' hand at her before focusing back on her feet.

Bonnie cracked the book open to the beginning and started to read. The book he'd picked was one they both had agreed on, seeing as she didn't feel like getting into anything so dense her brain would start leaking from her ears. She also didn't want anything full of sex, however, and she wouldn't put it past him to pick one exactly like that just to bug her. Instead, they ended up going with his favorite,  _The Call of the Wild_. In part because she'd wanted to read it since finding out it was his favorite, once upon a time thinking it would give her a peek into Damon's head. After this long, her reason for wanting to read it had changed. She felt like she already knew him better than she'd ever expected to and didn't need any help in figuring him out. Still, it was his favorite for a reason and she wanted to see what the appeal was.

She made it through half a chapter before he interrupted her. "Anybody ever tell you that you have tiny feet?"

"Hey!" she exclaimed. "I have normal feet."

"Normal for an exceptionally tiny person. Look at them. They're doll-like…" He gave one of her toes a wiggle. "Then again,  _you're_  tiny, so it makes sense."

She opened her mouth to argue but he grinned at her and pointed.

"That, right there, that chin tilt, you do that to make yourself look taller, don't you?"

Bonnie rolled her eyes. "I do not," she scoffed.

But his smirk wouldn't let up and, despite wanting to brush him off, she was enjoying his foot rub, and perhaps even the book, too much to leave the room in a huff.

He rubbed his knuckles down the arch of her foot and seemed rather proud of himself when she wiggled in answer, squirming in her seat. "Admit you're tiny."

"No."

"Come on…" he cajoled. "You're what, five feet?"

"Five foot three," she said defensively.

His smirk only widened. "Tiny… little… bird," he said, tugging on a toe with each word before his hands swept up and circled her ankle, rubbing up the back of her calf, kneading as they went.

She bit her lip to keep an appreciative noise from leaving her throat and just watched him, looking far too satisfied with his deduction. She would give him that, if only because his hands were doing wonders for the pain of being on her feet all day. Just this once. He'd no doubt tease her about her short stature in the near future; she would put him in his place then. For now, she would get back to reading. She opened the book to where her thumb had kept her place and continued, all the while getting immersed both in the rhythmic feel of his hands and the intense book she read aloud.

* * *

**…**

* * *

Bonnie was mid-conversation with Carla when Damon's arm swept around her waist and pulled her backwards, into his chest. He swung her around so she was facing him and then began leading her around their back porch in a somewhat sloppy dance, one arm around her waist while the other raised her hand with his, linked together. His hair was messy, his smile was wide, his face was flushed, and his eyes were a little glazed.

"You're drunk," she said knowingly.

"Drunk, happy, same difference," he dismissed, giving her a little twirl.

She hooked her hand over his shoulder when she came to a stop. "And to think,  _you_ were the one who said he didn't want to have a barbecue…"

"I've come around to it." His eyes widened as he stared down at her. "Could be the beer, could be the burgers, who knows."

Bonnie snorted. "Yeah, or it could be that you're annoying our neighbor, and we both know how much joy you get out of pissing off Gladys."

He smirked then. "She  _is_  a crotchety old hag..."

" _Damon,_ " Bonnie admonished, pinching his shoulder.

"You know I'm right. I thought Tom was exaggerating, but she tries to bust me on everything. I took the garbage out last night, and she said I  _walked_ too loudly down the driveway." His eyebrows arched. "I'm a light walker, Bonnie. You don't spend a hundred and fifty years stalking prey and  _not_ learn how to walk lightly."

Folding her lips to keep her laughter hidden, she shook her head at him.

"What? What's that look?" he lowered their knotted hands and poked her cheek with his finger. "Are you laughing at me, Miss Bennett?"

She stared up at him, amused. "You know what you're doing?"

"Dancing?"

"Yes, that, horribly," she agreed. "But you're also making an archenemy out of our eighty year old neighbor…" She nodded. "You're so bored, you'll take anyone."

"One, she's seventy-eighty. Two, there aren't a whole lot to pick from, so sue me for settling. And three, don't defend her. She might not pick on you to your face, but she's not some kind old lady that evil Damon's making out to be the devil…" He frowned then, looking away darkly, his good mood rapidly fading. "Trust me."

"Hey," she said gently. When he wouldn't look at her, she slid her hand up his shoulder and squeezed the nape of his neck. "Damon."

Taking a deep breath, he adopted a smile and looked at her, dropping his face down so their foreheads were pressed together. "Do me a favor…"

"Within reason," she answered.

"Just dance with me, all right? We've got good tunes on, I've eaten my weight in red meat, the  _only_  people I like in this town are here, drinking all of my booze, and  _you_ … You look really pretty tonight, did I mention that?"

"You said something to that effect, yeah." She cocked her head. "I think you said 'hey, look at that, you  _do_ clean up nice.'"

"One of my better lines." His arm tightened around her waist and he danced them around in an oblong of a circle. "One song?"

"Two, if you're good."

He hummed, turning to rest his cheek against her hair. "I don't know how to be good."

Funny, she thought, that's what he'd been for quite some time now.

One song turned into two and then three before Naomi stole her away to talk shop and Damon soon found himself chatting with Brandon and Chris. The night wore on nicely, the barbecue eventually ending quite a bit later than anyone expected. Bonnie saw everybody out, hugging them goodbye and waving from the front door as they all told her they should do it again soon.

After Bonnie locked the front door, she found Damon in the back yard still, sitting in a patio chair, a beer in hand as he looked out over the yard, lit up with fairy lights strung along the fence.

Walking to him, she took a seat on the wooden arm of his chair and stole his beer for a small drag. "You have fun tonight?"

He hummed. "Not bad."

"Yeah?" She smiled down at him. "Are barbecues gonna be our  _thing?_ Barbecues and terrible karaoke."

"Speak for yourself, I'm  _awesome_ at karaoke," he said, reaching up to take back his beer.

"You're awesome at air-guitaring while I sing," she corrected.

"Every star needs an entourage." He tipped his beer back for a swig, his arm sliding around her waist. "I'm tired. We should clean up tomorrow."

"Sure," she agreed.

As he stood, he drew her up with him, keeping her close to his side as they stepped through the sliding glass door to the house. Moving down the hall to their bedroom, he said, "You know what?"

"Hm?"

"We should get a dog."

"Yeah?"

"A  _loud_  one."

Bonnie's mouth twitched. If this was how Damon wanted to play at still being 'bad,' she could live with it. "Sure. We'll look into that," she said, patting his chest comfortingly.

He might be a cute drunk, but they were  _not_ getting a dog.

* * *

**…**

* * *

"Hey! Say cheese!"

"What?" Damon looked over, confused, only to have a flash blur his vision. Blinking rapidly, he frowned. " _Ow_."

"Baby," Bonnie teased before plopping down beside him. In her hand, she was shaking a Polaroid picture and grinning at him. "I found it in the storage shed out back."

"And decided to  _blind_ me with it?" he snarked.

Bonnie rolled her eyes. "No… I'm gonna make a scrapbook. I used to make them when I was growing up. Me and Grams. I had one for me and Elena, me and Grams, me and dad… Now I can have one for me and you." Before he could snark at her, she handed him the picture she'd taken. It was a candid shot of him as he turned, but his mouth was turned up in an expectant smile as he looked up to meet her.

"Next time, shoot it from my good side."

"You have one?"

He smirked. "Ha. Ha."

Bonnie grinned at him and then scooted over on the couch and leaned her head in close to his. "Come on. This is your three second warning… Smile for the camera."

Damon put on an exaggerated grin, his brows hiked high, and all of his teeth on display. Bonnie elbowed him and it melted into something more genuine, which is when she hit the button to take the picture. When it popped out of the bottom of the old camera, Damon grabbed it before she could, giving it a shake. Slowly but surely, the picture began to show, and, he had to admit, they looked pretty good together. Happy and alive.

"Not bad, Bennett," he said, handing her the picture.

Standing from the couch, she replied, "Looks like you  _do_ have a good side." With that, she walked off down the hall, in the direction of her office, and he had to admit, he was kind of looking forward to seeing how their scrapbook turned out.

* * *

**…**

* * *

Bonnie would swear under penalty of death that she'd just seen Caroline Forbes, standing in the middle of the street.

In the middle of walking down the sidewalk with Damon, who had already finished his ice cream cone and was currently stealing bites off of Bonnie's, and all too regular occurrence, Bonnie had turned her head as her name was called. She spotted Annette across the street, a pretty Latina woman that, according to Naomi, had been working at the shop alongside them from day one. Annette was waving at her happily from where she walked in the opposite direction, holding the hand of her and Peter's son, four-year-old Jasper. Bonnie smiled in reply and raised her own hand to wave, which was when she saw Caroline simply materialize out of thin air. Blonde and pretty and so confused, standing in the middle of the street in a blue and white floral dress, eyes darting around but never quite landing on anything. Annette had already moved on, as if she hadn't seen it. In fact, nobody else seemed to find the current situation odd at all.

Bonnie stumbled to a stop, staring, slack-jawed, at Caroline. She whispered her name, choked and worried. Caroline wasn't quite corporeal; in fact, she was see-through, enough that Bonnie could clearly make out the store front across the road, but that didn't make her any less real. Bonnie lurched forward, the ice cream cone falling from her fingers, and before she could think better of it, she hurried toward the street. Saying her name, first in a whisper, and then louder, with more desperation, "Caroline…  _Caroline!_ " again and again, trying so desperately to catch her eye. But Caroline didn't hear her, didn't look at her, she just kept searching around, her mouth moving silently as she talked to…  _someone_.  _No one_. Not Bonnie, in any case.

A car horn screamed at her suddenly and Bonnie found herself yanked back toward the curb. She struggled for a moment, even as a car went screeching past, narrowly missing her, the driver shouting angrily through the window as he sped past. As soon as the car was gone, she found the street empty. No Caroline, corporeal or otherwise, to speak of.

"What the  _hell_ is the matter with you?" Damon demanded, his arms wrapped tight around her.

"She's gone. She's  _gone_ , but she was there! Didn't you see her?" Bonnie wiggled out of his grip and pushed herself up, scanning the street, looking everywhere for any sign of her best friend. Pushing her hands back over her head, flattening her hair, she felt her heart hammer in her chest, and bit her lip as her eyes burned. Turning to face Damon, she stared at him desperately. "Tell me you saw her."

He stared at her, his brow furrowed. "The only thing I saw was you walking off into the middle of the street!" He was angry; his lips were pursed and a muscle ticked in his jaw. "You nearly got yourself  _killed_."

"It was Caroline," she choked out, a tear tripping down her cheek. "I  _saw_ her."

He shook his head. "There was no one there."

"No, I—I  _know_  it was her!" She turned back around, looking out over the street, her eyes darting back and forth frantically. "Damon, I saw her…"

"Bonnie—"

"I've been friends with her since first grade!" she exclaimed. "I can tell you who her first crush was, what her favorite color was in fourth grade, Jesus, what day of the week it was she started her period. I remember because she had a slumber party on a Wednesday night, specifically so she could eat junk food and not feel bad about it. So don't look at me like I'm crazy. I  _know_ Caroline, and that was her!"

He stared at her. "Okay."

"I  _did!_ " she cried, her shoulders trembling. It was her. It had to be!

Sighing, Damon reached for her, his hands on her arms, tugging her back until she was pressed to his chest. He rested his chin on top of her head. "Okay, I believe you," he said.

He didn't. She knew he didn't. But that didn't stop her from taking comfort from him. She leaned back, relaxing against him, and let his arms wrap around her, just holding her tight, while she stared out at the road, at where Caroline had stood. She wondered what it meant. What she  _wanted_ it to mean. She stared, hoping something might change, that Caroline might reappear, but she didn't. Minutes passed and there was nothing but the passing traffic and the setting sun.

"Let's go home," she said, her voice quiet, defeated.

"You sure?" he wondered, rubbing his hands up and down her arms.

"Yeah." She nodded, offering a faint, empty smile.

He turned them around and started them down the sidewalk, keeping his arm around her waist, pulling her against his side as they walked. She looked back once, her heart aching as she found the street empty.

She'd seen her, though.

She swore she did.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so I planned for an 'update every week' kind of thing, but this is a day late all the same. it was finished, i just didn't have the time to edit it, so sorry for the wait. someone asked in a review if the town was isolated, so i hope this cleared that up for you. there will be a lot of questions concerning where they are and what it means that will be answered as time goes on, including after they eventually make it back to 'life.'
> 
> I'm really, really excited to see how many people reviewed. I wasn't sure how many people would like this storyline but I've had so much fun writing it. This is all fun and fluff right now, but things will take a turn when reality comes knocking. still, the fluff is tons of fun as their friendship fluctuates and the romance and intimacy grows.
> 
> thank you all so much for reading! please leave a review; they're very encouraging!
> 
> \- **lee | fina**


	3. never the same

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **faceclaim** : [C A S T](http://sarcasticfina.tumblr.com/eternity)

**III.**

* * *

**TWO YEARS**

* * *

The house was dark; that was the first thing she noticed as she pulled up. The faint flicker of a fire going in the grate gave a soft glow through the kitchen window, but none of the lights were on. Bonnie hit the button on her keychain to lock her car as she crossed the lawn to the front door. It was one of the rare nights that Damon hadn't joined her at the shop after work, which, unfortunately, gave her the leeway to work much later than she usually would. Hence, she was getting home at nearly ten and was more than a little exhausted. Her feet and shoulders ached, her stomach was noticeably empty after forgetting lunch and putting dinner off for so long, and all she wanted was to take a nice, long, bubble bath.

Pushing the door open, she cast her eyes around curiously as she kicked her shoes off and hung up her jacket. The living room was lit up in a faint orange glow, but th fire was low enough that shadows clung to everything, shrouding the room. She didn't spot Damon anywhere; he must have gone to bed already. He never worried about the fire taking their house out; typical.

Shutting and locking the door behind her, she walked into the kitchen. There was a dish by the phone for her keys, so she dropped them inside and left her bag on th counter beside them. She was about to make her way to the fridge, wondering if Damon put away any leftovers for her, her mouth already watering, when she heard a clatter behind her, a bottle of bourbon banging down on the wood coffee table in front of him.

"Well, if it isn't my busy little kumquat, finally home from work…"

Jumping at the jarring noise, Bonnie whirled around to face Damon, who had apparently blended right into the shadows when she'd looked earlier. He was sitting slumped on the couch, hands stacked on his stomach, over a barely buttoned plaid shirt. He was disheveled from head to toe, hair messy and clothes askew. He offered up an empty smirk, looking far too much like a man she hadn't seen in years. The man he was when he first blew into town, empty and full of darkness.

Pushing her frown away, her hand found her hip as she snorted. "Kumquat?  _Really?_ I think that's in your top ten  _worst_ nicknames. And that includes last week's 'fruity dumpling' disaster."

He shrugged sloppily. "I don't know. It has a nice ring to it.  _Kumquat_." He repeated it to himself a few more times, turning his gaze up toward the ceiling.

Bonnie stared at him, feeling oddly disappointed to see the mostly good mood of the last two years melt away overnight. Was this the moment where he gave up on being okay with their new life? She felt a twisting in her gut. Their life wasn't perfect. They didn't talk about everything and everyone they were missing, not often anyway, but those spaces were still very much present. Especially since her 'Caroline-spotting,' of which she was still adamant had been real. Damon hadn't believed her, and even got annoyed when she brought it up. He didn't want hope. He didn't want her to tell him he might be able to get back, not when he was so sure they never would. And her seeing Caroline might only end in breaking his heart. He was tired of that. Or, at least, that's how Bonnie saw it.

For the most part, Damon had adapted well to their 'afterlife,' or whatever it was that they had been sent to instead of oblivion. He'd made friends and actively searched to avoid anything that might bring his mood down. He might put up a token fight, but he liked it when they had barbecues or went out for drinks with friends or went to the movies every other weekend. Last summer, he'd voluntarily joined Danny on a fishing trip, spent at a cabin by the local lake. It was an all-guys' weekend, so they invited a few of their buddies to go along. Bonnie had been surprised by how enthusiastic he was about it, planning all week for it and even going out to buy brand new fishing supplies, along with a silly looking hat that he'd donned for two days leading up to the trip. It was weird, having the house to herself, she was even relieved when he came home, especially since he looked happier than usual, boasting about his weekend and cooking up a few fish he'd caught for dinner Sunday night.

Because he never talked about it, sometimes she let herself believe that he'd really and truly moved on. She didn't doubt that he missed his brother and Elena, but it was easier and easier to forget that he did when all she saw of him was happy-go-lucky, just go with it, Damon. Now she was realizing that it was probably just one of his many coping mechanisms. Much like alcohol and ready dismissal of any and all feelings had been when they were alive.

It was the two year marker today. Two years since they were ripped out of their lives and sucked into… whatever this place was. This time last year they were drunkenly singing karaoke, but it looked like things wouldn't be quite as easy this time around.

With a soft sigh, she circled the island and made her way into the living room. She took a seat on the coffee table, moving the bottle of bourbon aside. "You wanna talk about it?" she asked, her voice quiet, gentle.

He scoffed, keeping his eyes turned up. "What's to talk about? Huh?"

She stared at him, the tense lines of his body and the shadowed angles of his face. "You tell me."

He didn't say anything for a long moment, and then his jaw ticked. "So it's just on me? Huh? You don't have any more tears to cry? No more 'woe is Bonnie, lost without Jeremy,' is that it?"

She hugged her arms around her waist and refrained from rolling her eyes. "Is that what you want, Damon? For me to cry about Jeremy more?"

He snorted. "Right, 'cause having you bawl your eyes out is so much  _fun_  for me…" Before she could say anything, he leaned forward. "No. What I want is to see a little more regret. I want to hear you tell me that you miss them. That you wish they were here. That there's this gaping  _hole_ inside of you where they used to be and you can't fill it up. You  _try_ , but you can't. Because it's just… It's  _theirs_. And nobody else is going to fit there. Not Danny or Chris or any of them. None of them are going to…  _fill_ that place." His voice waivered and he quickly cleared his throat, reaching up to press his fingers against his eyes, screwing up his forehead and giving an annoyed grunt.

Bonnie blinked back her own tears. "You're right, none of them will be Stefan for you. Or Alaric. And I don't think they're trying to be. Just like I don't think you're trying to make them fit. But that doesn't mean you don't deserve to have friends. People you like who like you too."

"They don't  _know_ me. They think I'm just some normal  _guy_. They don't know what I've done, who I've  _been_. They have no idea who I really am and that is…  _sad_ , and pathetic." He leaned forward, staring at her, his brow furrowed tightly. "I would've  _killed_  people like them. Innocent and naïve, trusting any old guy who came by. And  _Danny_ , with those awful puns. I would've killed him first." His lip curled in a sneer. "Him and Carla both. And then Tom next door,  _and_   _his little dog too_ ," he laughed.

Bonnie watched him calmly, his eyes filled with tears and his face straining with barely restrained emotion.

"I would've drained them all dry, left them laying in the street, and  _whistled_ happily as I walked away. But they…  _They_  invite me into their homes and out for drinks and look at me like I'm just one of their buddies. Normal, average Damon, who works a regular job and has a beautiful girlfriend. Some nine-to-fiver  _sap_ who'll die of old age with nothing significant to show for it. But I  _already_ died.  _Twice_. And I did things! Awful things and amazing things and every once in a while, I even put on the hero hair and saved people's lives. But you know what? None of them know that! None of them know  _me!_ The good or the bad, the  _evil_ or the selfless. They have no  _fucking_ idea what kind of person I really am and the people that do, the people who liked me anyway, the people that actually  _got_ any of that… I am  _never_ going to see them again." He laughed, high and hollow. "I'm never going to see my  _brother_ , Bonnie. Nobody here even knows I  _have_ a brother. He's just gone, no more Stefan. No more brooding, no more telling me what to do, no more sitting up high on his self-righteous horse, none of that. And I used to think that'd be a gift! I used to  _cheer_ for the day that I wouldn't have to put up with him anymore. But now, all I want is to hear him  _nagging_ me about how much I'm drinking or how he knows I can be a better person,  _blah blah blah_." His breath caught in his throat and he leaned forward, running a hand through his hair roughly.

Bonnie blinked back her own tears, turning her eyes up to get them to drain back inside her. She reached for him, a hand landing gently on his shoulder. And when he didn't push her away, she let it slide up behind his neck, squeezing the nape lightly. "I know it hurts."

He let out a laugh, a short, gruff noise that rattled from his chest.

"I do. I know you miss them. Even if you spent a lot of it fighting, Stefan was your constant. I get that… I didn't have a hundred-plus years with them, but Caroline and Elena, they were  _everything_ to me. They were the only people I could rely on to always be there. Besides Grams, anyway. So I did everything I could to be there for them. I did everything I could to keep them alive and safe and happy. And I would do it again. I'd do it a thousand more times. Because I love them." She swiped the tears from her cheeks with a clenched fist. "Sometimes I forget that you're hurting too, because you're so good at this. You're  _so_ good at fitting in and looking like you've just… moved on. But I should've known better, because if there's anything you are, it's really good at pretending you don't care when you really care too much."

He looked up at her then, blue eyes full of broken sadness.

"I can't take it away, Damon. I can't make it better. I can't give them back to you even though I really,  _really_ want to. And I'm sorry for that. I'm sorry I didn't grab you sooner; that you aren't back there with them. I'm sorry you got sucked into this weird in-between world with me where you have to play at being Joe Average. I'm  _sorry_." She let out a shuddering breath, staring at him searchingly. "And at the same time, I'm not. Because you're the only one that knows me and I'm lost and sad and I miss them too. So maybe nobody else knows you here, the  _real_ you, but  _I_ do. I know exactly who you are." She shook her head. "You're not alone. I might not be your first choice, but I'm here."

He stared at her, his brow furrowed, and then he reached for her, pulling her forward until she was in his lap. He wrapped his arms around her tightly, cradling her head against his shoulder, and he just held her. He didn't offer empty words of comfort, he didn't promise that one day they would go back or that everything would be okay. He just held her, his head bowed against hers, his hands making sweeping circles on her back. She could feel a few of his tears dripping off his cheek and falling onto her, but she didn't speak, she just let the storm ease away and the calm sweep over them.

It could've been minutes or hours, but eventually, with the fire little more than dying embers, he stood from the couch, lifting her up and carrying her as he went. Instead of walking to the bedroom like she expected, he carried her into the bathroom. He set her down on her feet before he moved to the tub and turned the taps on to fill it with hot water. He dumped, entirely too much, rose scented bubble bath into it and then stepped back.

"I didn't get around to making dinner earlier, but I can throw something together," he told her.

She stared at him, a faint smile pulling at her lips. "That sounds good."

He lingered for a long moment, nothing but the rushing noise of the water filling the bathtub between them. And then he stepped forward and he bent to press a kiss to her forehead. He didn't say thank you or make a joke to ease the tension. The gesture said enough. When she opened her eyes, and she couldn't quite remember when she'd closed them, he was gone.

Bonnie let out a shaky breath and walked to the tub, sitting on the edge and turning off the taps. She let her fingers dip into the water to test it before she stood again, closing the door and stripping off her clothes before she stepped into the tub and let the water and bubbles surround her. She leaned her had back, neck resting on a rolled up towel, hair tied up and out of the way, and she thought about him, about how rare it was for him to shred the mask and lay himself wide open. He had a set-back. He had a moment where he needed comfort and he needed to break down and she understood that. It wouldn't all be rainbows and sunshine; it couldn't be. But they would get through it.  _Together_.

* * *

**…**

* * *

Chris was good people. Of everyone that worked at Bonnie's shop, Damon's favorite was probably Naomi, but one of the stock boys, Brandon, was a nice guy, and his boyfriend Chris was a particularly good pool player. Which helped, because Danny was shit at the game and that meant Damon never felt as good when he kicked his ass. Tonight was no different. Sadie's Pub wasn't packed, but it had a pretty regular crew for a Wednesday night.

"I'm telling you, my game is darts, not pool," Danny insisted.

"Yeah, you wanna explain last week then?" Damon snorted. "You almost took that waitress's eye out."

Chris chuckled from his seat at the table they were sharing, tipping his beer back for a drag.

"She was a looker too. I'm tempted to tell Carla you did it to get her attention."

Danny rolled his eyes. "I was drunk. My aim was off!"

"I don't know. I think we should put it to a vote. Who all thinks Danny's a liability at every game and should probably retire?" Damon raised his hand and Chris followed suit. "See? Two to one. We win."

"Whatever," Danny dismissed. "You two keep this up and I'll forget games and go back to puns."

Chris grimaced. "At least with darts, it's somebody else suffering."

Damon chuckled, his head falling back in amusement.

"Yeah, laugh it up. But she's working again tonight and I'm pretty sure she's still pissed about it." Danny nodded his chin to where a few waitresses were standing together; one in particular, a pretty red-head, cast a glare toward their table.

Chris let out a long whistle. "Good thing we didn't order food."

"You think she'd spit in it?" Danny wondered.

"She's angry enough… She probably has a voodoo doll with your face on it." Damon's mouth turned up in a dark smirk. "Poetic, if you think about it. You tried to hit her with a dart, she sticks you with pins sometimes…"

Danny shifted in his seat. "You know, I've been kind of achy lately, maybe she really does…"

Chris glanced at Damon and then raised a brow at Danny. "Hey, don't worry so much. She doesn't look like the voodoo type to me."

"No?"

"No, she's definitely the shank you in the parking lot type…" Chris winked. "We should probably walk you to your car later, just to be sure."

Danny rolled his eyes. "All right, ha ha, really funny guys. We're just talking about a wronged woman who could fatally wound me here."

Damon shook his head and clapped Danny's shoulder. "Just apologize to her, and mean it."

"That's it?"

"Well, that and maybe promise you'll never go anywhere near the darts again."

Danny snorted, but nodded as he stood from the table. He raised his head up and was just about to leave the table before he paused and looked back at them. "Before I go… A hooker, a rabbi, and a plumber walk into a bar…"

Damon and Chris groaned loudly, but Danny merely grinned as he continued with his joke.

Despite himself, Damon found himself laughing. It was still rough, trying to drown out that voice in his head that reminded him that he wasn't as normal as these guys were, that he had a screwed up history that would've sent them all running for the hills, that neither of them were Stefan or Alaric. But they weren't bad people and, all things considered, the afterlife could be a lot worse.

* * *

**…**

* * *

"I'm not painting your toes."

Bonnie pouted at him. She stuck out her bottom lip and tipped her head, looking up at him with her big green eyes and Damon didn't know when, he could not pin point the  _exact_  moment it happened, but he was absolutely under Bonnie Bennett's thumb.

When he sighed, his shoulders slumping, she lit up, her shoulders raised, and she grinned at him. "Yay," she said, reaching for a few different bottles. "Okay, so I couldn't pick which one I liked best, so you have to help me choose first."

Damon raised an eyebrow at her. "A hundred and seventy-five years, Bonnie. I've killed more people than you've  _met_  in your life, and this is what you have me doing."

"Yes, I know, your badass reputation is well intact." She rolled her eyes. "I'll be sure not to mention to any evil-doers that you had a moment of weakness."

"A moment of weakness is not picking between bubble gum pink and powder blue nail polish. This is like having me castrated. Why would do this to me, Bonnie? What has my masculinity ever done to you?"

Bonnie pursed her lips and then reached over and plucked up a dark burgundy bottle. "You're right, those two are a little too young for me. This one's better." She waved it at him. "Kind of looks like blood, right? That should make you feel better."

He snapped his fingers and held his hand out for the bottle.

Happily, she handed it over to him.

He gave it a shake and said, "One coat or two?"

Bonnie hummed thoughtfully. "Two."

"The things I do for you…" he sighed.

"It's much appreciated." Stretching her legs out, she placed her feet in his lap. "So? Tell me about your day…"

"I tell you Danny almost lost a finger?"

"No! What happened?"

" _Well_ …"

Somewhere, someone was laughing at him for how easily he succumbed to domesticity. And he would gladly kill them should he ever meet them… right after he finished painting Bonnie's toes.

* * *

**…**

* * *

"Bonnie… I'm  _dying_ ," he whined, from where he was sprawled out on the couch, a blanket tucked in around him. "Come take my temperature again, I think my skin's melting off."

"You are  _such_ a baby, you know that?" she wondered, rolling her eyes as she finished rinsing off a soup bowl and put it in the dish rack. "It's a flu, Damon. You don't have the plague."

He glared at her, but it was half-hearted at best. "You know, when I was alive, getting sick wasn't so far off from getting  _dead_."

"I  _told_ you to get your flu shot…"

"In case it's escaped your attention, we're  _dead_ , this shouldn't even be possible!What was a flushot supposed to do?"

"Well, you're currently laid up on the couch, so you tell me." Bonnie dried her hands off with a dish towel and dropped it on the island counter before she walked over to him, taking a seat on the coffee table in front of him. "You're still flushed." She pressed the back of her hand to one of his cheeks and frowned. "And you're hot."

His mouth twitched slightly. "We already knew  _that_."

She shook her head. "You can't be  _too_ sick if you're still this corny."

"Hey, my lines are gold," he defended. "In fact, I—" He cut himself off as he was suddenly wracked with a coughing fit. Turning himself over onto his side, his whole body tensed up, fist pressed up close to his mouth as he barely refrained from choking up a lung. Bonnie's hand soothingly ran over his shoulder and back.

When he'd calmed down, she handed him his half-empty bottle of water and a held up a pack of throat lozenges. He knocked back the rest of the room temp water and wrinkled his nose at the cough drops. Still, when she unwrapped one and held it up expectantly, he opened his mouth, half-smiling when she obliged and popped it into his mouth for him. He rolled it around on his tongue a few times before pushing up onto his elbow and patting the seat where he'd been laying.

"I have inventory…" she said.

"Just a few minutes," he asked.

Bonnie bit her lip, sighed, and then stood. She shifted over so she was sitting on the couch and waited as he dropped his head down onto her lap. Somewhat amused by his need for physical affection when he wasn't feeling good, she dragged her fingers through his hair, surreptitiously checking his forehead again. He  _was_ pretty warm, but she'd checked his temperature a few times. He had a fever, yes, but he was still low enough not to need to medical intervention.

Snuggling his cheek down against her legs, Damon half-closed his eyes and let out a content breath. "You make that soup yourself?" he wondered.

"Mm-hmm. Grams' recipe."

"Sheila knew what she was doing," he complimented. "First thing I've kept down."

Absently, she knocked her knuckles against the wood table beside them; Damon's mouth tipped up when he noticed.

"She used to make it for me whenever I got sick. I asked her to teach me how to make it when I was twelve and dad was down with a nasty flu."

He raised an eyebrow and turned his head to look up at her. "So what you're telling me if that you've been letting me do all the cooking while you're holding out on some classic Sheila Bennett recipes?"

Bonnie smiled. "Maybe if you're lucky, I'll teach you a few."

"I'll hold you to that," he said before turning his head back down. His eyes fluttered a few times before she felt him start to drift off, gradually relaxing against her.

She'd planned to move out from under him and lay his head down on a pillow while she got back to her work, but a minute and then five passed with her lightly stroking his hair as he slept. Maybe just a few more minutes; he seemed to sleep better when she was close by. That was what she told herself anyway. Resting her head on the back of the couch, she let her fingers continue to comb through his soft hair and closed her own eyes. It wasn't so bad. Sure, he was a baby about feeling sick, but it was kind of endearing to see 'bad ass' Damon fall prey to a common flu. She could probably do without the whining, but the cuddling wasn't  _so_ bad… Not that she would evertell  _him_  that. She also wouldn't tell him about the picture she took of him when he was napping, cheeks flushed and looking all the more innocent for it. She would totally be adding that to the scrapbook later.

* * *

**…**

* * *

"We're not going to another horror movie." Bonnie crossed her arms over her chest and shook her head. "Haven't we had enough of that in our lives?"

"Call it nostalgia." Damon shrugged. "Anyway, I'm not going to another Nicholas Sparks movie. And nothing with Channing Tatum either. Unless it's another Jump Street sequel, then I might be persuaded.  _Maybe_. On a good day."

She rolled her eyes. "Way to narrow things down, Damon. What about a comedy, huh?" She pointed to one of the posters hanging outside of the theater, behind glass and lit up with blinking lights. "That one looks funny."

Damon raised a skeptical eyebrow at the poster. "What's with you and Tom Hanks?"

Sighing, she tossed her hands up. "Who doesn't love Tom Hanks?"

" _Me_. I don't love Tom Hanks."

"Now you're just arguing to argue." As the line moved forward, Bonnie dug around in her purse for her wallet. "Either pick something that doesn't involve murder, or we're seeing that movie."

Sighing, long, loud, and overdramatically, Damon turned his attention up the list of movies listed above the theater entrance, lit up brightly atop the blue and pink lights flashing beneath it. He wasn't seeing anything he liked and his lips pursed. "Why didn't we check what was playing before we left?"

"Because you're impatient," she answered simply. "I barely had time to shower before you shoved me out the door."

"Now who's exaggerating?" He looked down at her, wiggling his eyebrows.

"I—"

"Bonnie?"

She paused, turning her head and searching out the voice.

Kayla popped into sight then and waved a hand, half-smiling a little awkwardly. She walked toward them, tucking her hands in her leather jacket, her boots making a noticeable clomp. "Hey." She looked between her boss and Damon before asking, "I'm not interrupting date night, am I?"

Bonnie shook her head. "No, no, it's fine."

"Yes. You are," Damon said, amused when Bonnie elbowed him. "What're you doing out, emo lite? Isn't it past your bedtime?" he teased.

Kayla rolled her eyes. "It's not that late, and my curfew's eleven. I've got plenty of time." She turned back to Bonnie to ask, "What're you going to see?"

"Well, Damon wanted to see Blood Ripper 7, but we're probably going to see the new Tom Hanks movie instead."

Kayla lit up then. She fairly hopped where she stood, reaching up to tuck her curly hair behind her ears as she grinned up at him. "No way, you're a Ripper fan? I love that series! I have the first six, plus the book series it's based on. My favorite's the fourth one; I have the Super Blood Extended Edition."

Damon blinked down at her and then turned to Bonnie. "See? Even  _she_ appreciates a good horror movie."

Bonnie rolled her eyes. "We're not going to it. If you wanna watch all that blood and gore stuff, you can happily go without me. I want popcorn, Swedish fish, and Tom Hanks. In that order."

Damon sighed. "Spoilsport."

"Actually, I have a bootleg of it, if you wanna borrow it. I haven't watched it yet, so I can't guarantee quality, but…" Kayla trailed off, shrugging.

He quirked a curious eyebrow. "Really?"

"Sure." She shrugged. "I usually can't get in to see it when it opens. I used to have a friend who worked here that would sneak me into R-rated movies, but he quit, so now I have to suffer like every other kid my age…"

Damon's mouth quirked. "You know, you can get in if you have a parent with you."

She snorted. "Like my parents would. I can't remember the last time we ever went to a movie together," she muttered, glaring down the street and shifting her feet uncomfortably.

Damon turned his eyes to the side and Bonnie caught him looking. He raised an eyebrow in silent communication and she pursed her lips back at him. He raised the other eyebrow and tilted his head in Kayla's direction. She raised her chin and put a hand to her hip. Damon sighed, to which Bonnie sighed, her shoulders deflating, and then he grinned triumphantly. Bonnie rolled her eyes.

"Kayla, would you like to see Blood Ripper 7 with us?" Bonnie wondered, looking over at the girl curiously.

"What?  _Really?_ " She perked up hopefully.

Bonnie nodded, offering a faint smile. "Sure, if you don't mind me hiding my eyes every time something gross happens."

"No, that's totally cool! I mean…" She reorganized her face so she didn't look quite so eager. "I guess it'd be fun, if you don't mind me interrupting your date."

"Oh, I'm sure I can watch Tom Hanks another night." She looked up at Damon sternly. "Can't I?"

He grinned. "Sure. Date Night Take Two. In the meantime, I'll buy you some popcorn and Swedish fish."

As the line moved forward, he hung a friendly arm around Kayla's shoulders, his other arm around Bonnie's waist, and ushered them toward the ticket booth. "Who's ready for a bloody good night?"

Despite herself, Bonnie smiled at his enthusiasm, and especially at how excited Kayla looked. While it wasn't her first choice of movie, it was nice to see them both looking so animated. She could put up with a little over-the-top blood and gore for that.

* * *

**…**

* * *

He was singing again. Bonnie couldn't remember when exactly that became normal, but at some point she got used to finding Damon in the kitchen, shirtless and singing along to whatever music period had caught his attention that month while he cooked up breakfast for them. It was Aerosmith this morning, and Damon was very enthusiastically singing along to 'Crazy,' which seemed rather apt in her opinion.

While he moved around the kitchen, hips rocking and lips moving along with the lyrics, Bonnie smiled, leaning in the hallway as she watched him give himself over to the music. His hair was still mussed from sleep and his pajama pants were slung low on his hips. She purposely kept quiet so he wouldn't notice her, letting the song play through before she stepped out, crossing the floor in her slippers, letting them shuffle on the floor.

He looked over, a smile playing at his lips.

"Look who's finally up..."

She rolled her eyes. "Yeah, yeah. I slept in a little."

"Late night, sweet potato?" he teased, flipping the bacon.

"Hey, it's Saturday, I can sleep in if I want to."

"True, it's just rare to see you actually do it."

"I know, I'm dull and boring and I work too much." She moved to take a seat on the stool in front of the island, but he shook his and hummed negatively. "What?" She frowned.

"Work too much, yes, absolutely. But the other stuff…?" He shook his head. "Not so much."

Before she could ask him what put him in such a good mood, Damon tossed his spatula down on the counter and circled the island.

"C'mere."

As the CD switched and a new song started to play, he took up her hand and pulled her close. Drawing her arms up and around his neck, he dropped his hands to her hips and started moving them around the floor in a circle. Bonnie looked up at him curiously, recognizing the tune as another Aerosmith song. Damon didn't sing along this time, his lips didn't even move, but he stared back intently as they danced.

__[I kept the right ones out,](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zSmOvYzSeaQ)  
And let the wrong ones in,  
Had an angel of mercy to see me through all my sins… 

He reached up to tuck her hair back behind her ear, his thumb stroking her cheek lightly.

Bonnie smiled gently. As the song went on, she turned her head and rested her cheek against his chest. Damon kept his arm around her, his free hand sliding down her hair to rest at her shoulder. She split her attention between the steady beat of his heart and the music in the background. They moved comfortably, in sync with each other, like she knew which way he would step before he did. His hand against her back was a comfortable weight, familiar and wanted. She wasn't sure what brought on this mood, but she liked it. So, she nuzzled her nose against him contently and moved around the floor, happily wrapped up in his arms. And when the song ended and they parted, she simply smiled and took her seat at the island while he returned to making their breakfast.

"Y'know, I partied with Aerosmith a few times," he told her.

"Yeah?" she asked, perching her chin on her hands. "Tell me about it…"

"All right, first, picture it… It was 1977…"

Bonnie grinned as he got lost in his memories, happy to share them with her.

* * *

**…**

* * *

Bonnie blamed it on a distinct lack of sleep. She'd had her head buried in her office, going over supplies, when her bladder decided to interrupt her. Without thinking, she'd simply walked into the bathroom, giving no attention to the fact that the door was closed at the time. In her defense, she'd gone into her office in the morning and hadn't noticed how much time had passed. In fact, she hadn't realized Damon was home; he'd left that morning to hang out with Chris and watch a football game or something. She honestly hadn't been paying that much attention, too busy going over her stock list and prepping for what would be a busy day with Naomi; they'd be spending much of Sunday making candles it looked like. Especially cinnamon; they were running really low on those.

So when she stepped through the door, she was more than a little surprised to see Damon in the tub. It wasn't the first time he'd called her into the bathroom when he was submerged in bubbles, usually to tell her about his day, completely ignoring the fact that he was naked. The man had no shame. But this time was different. Because this time, there were no bubbles, just lightly scented water, a scattering of candles (cinnamon, of course), and a glass of bourbon sitting on the floor within reach. Lastly, and most importantly, there was Damon, whose hand was noticeably wrapped around his—

"Oh my God!" She froze on spot, her eyes down, focused entirely too clearly on what he was doing. What he hadn't  _stopped_ doing, despite her standing there.

She should have turned around, walked away, done anything but keep staring, but that was exactly what she did.  _Stared_.

"Did you want a picture for your scrapbook?" he quipped, an eyebrow raised.

Her eyes raised abruptly, centered on his amused face, and then swiftly turned up toward the ceiling. "I—I didn't know! I didn't mean to… I am  _so_ sorry." Embarrassment flooded through her and her heart hammered irregularly.

Bonnie wasn't looking, so she didn't see him shrug, but she was pretty sure the way the water sloshed against the walls of the tub were telling her that was what he'd done. Either that or his hand had sped up and— wait,  _no_. She wasn't thinking of that. She wasn't thinking about that  _at all_.

"No big deal. Everybody does it."

She shifted her feet uncomfortably. "Yes, but not everybody has someone walk in on them while they're… doing it."

He chuckled lowly. "No need to sound so uptight, Bon-Bon. It's not like I haven't seen that pink vibrator you have in your sock drawer. If I had my other hand, I'd clap. The size was impressive."

Bonnie could feel her cheeks heat up. " _Damon!_ "

"Considering the topic, I'd hope you'd say my name a  _little_  differently. Maybe make it more breathy. Or just longer. Really stretch it out…"

"Oh my God," she muttered under her breath.

"Just 'Damon' is fine."

Annoyed, she looked down long enough to glare and then turned on her heel, quickly leaving the bathroom and slamming the door behind her. "And stay out of my sock drawer!" she yelled, stomping down the hallway.

While she didn't hear it, she was sure he was laughing at her. She went in search of a bottle of wine in hopes that it might help dull the very explicit image permanently seared into her brain.  _Ugh_. She was never going to live this down.

* * *

**…**

* * *

"You know what we should have added to these popcorn strings?" Bonnie asked, sitting cross-legged on the floor by the fire, a throw blanket tucked around her lower half. A collection of miscellaneous Christmas decorations surrounded them while mugs of hot chocolate and spiced egg nog rested on the brick ledge in front of the fireplace.

"Cranberries?" Annette said knowingly.

" _Exactly_." She shook her head, disappointed. "I never remember those."

"Lucky for you…" Annette reached over and pulled her bag closer to her. She unpacked a few of Jasper's toys before she reached the bag of dried cranberries on the bottom. "I think of everything."

Bonnie grinned, reaching to take the bag from her outstretched hand. "The shop's going to look great this year. Naomi lent me this fake snow she had from last year and I found this awesome manger and wise men set-up the other day. I was thinking we'd stretch these out over the tops of the shelves, what do you think?"

"Sounds lovely. I might just make a few extra of these for my tree at home, too."

Taking a look around her own house, Bonnie nodded. "I should too. This place needs some holiday cheer."

A honk horned outside then, grabbing their attention.

Bonnie glanced toward the front door and then tipped her head back to shout, "Damon! The guys are here!"

He didn't answer, but, thirty seconds later, Damon came down the hallway, still pulling his winter jacket on.

Bonnie lifted up from the floor, giving a little shiver as the cool air touched her despite her wool pants and oversized sweater. She made her way over to him and gave him a perusal from head to toe; he had his snow pants on, making his legs look abnormally thick. "You have your gloves?" she wondered.

He pulled them from his jacket pocket to show her. "Check."

"Did you put on those wool socks I got you? Your feet got cold last time." She reached up to readjust the scarf around his neck and tucked the collar of his coat around him.

Damon pulled on his gloves and nodded. "Yeah, I remembered."

"And your hat too. It's that or ear muffs."

He rolled his eyes and plucked a hat out from his other pocket. "Are you done mothering me yet?" he asked, but his mouth turned up at the corner all the same.

"Not quite." She tipped her head toward the kitchen. "I made you hot chocolate to take with you."

He perked up. "Is it—?"

"Grams' recipe? Yes."

His grin widened. "Have I mentioned lately that you're the best?"

She snorted. "Even when I nag?"

" _Especially_ when you nag."

She shrugged, smiling. "Never hurts to hear it again."

Damon nodded knowingly and then ducked down to press a sloppy kiss to her cheek. "You and Annette have fun. And stay warm. Don't let the fire die down. The electricity's been spotty since the storm."

"Okay."

"I'll be back in a few hours." He pulled his hat on over his hair and adjusted it for comfort. "Do me a favor and stay off the roads. Danny said there were already a few accidents."

"We'll be busy with the decorations anyway," she assured. "We've got plenty to eat, so we shouldn't need to go anywhere."

"Good." At another honk outside, he said, "I gotta go." He pressed another kiss to her cheek. "Be good."

"Stay warm!" she called after him as he walked toward the front door, grabbing up his thermos of hot chocolate and his snow shovel as he went.

He waved back at her before he shut the door and started down the snow filled yard to the truck out front, joining Danny, Chris, Peter and Brandon in a joint effort to try and clear up some of the streets and driveways in the neighborhood.

Bonnie started back toward the living room and retook her seat on the floor, grabbing up the ends of her blanket and pulling them back around her. She smiled to herself, feeling rather content, and picked up her own hot chocolate for a sip.

"So when's he going to put a ring on it?" Annette wondered.

Bonnie choked.

* * *

**…**

* * *

It snuck up on him, how easy it was to be with her. How comfortable he could be in this oddly domestic little life they had carved out together. But he liked it. He liked waking up in the morning and seeing her beside him. He liked making her breakfast and dinner and the way she leaned into the kiss goodbye he pressed to her cheek each morning. He liked how she still gave him that exasperated look when he did something or said something she didn't agree with. He liked that she still fought with him in the mornings to have the first shower, sometimes racing him to the bathroom. And the way she wrinkled up her nose and pursed her mouth when he made her vampcakes. He liked knowing that he had her to come home to, every night. It made sense, he guessed. He'd spent so much of his life chasing the idea of belonging with someone, of being loved so completely that he wouldn't be left behind. The most unstable person in any room and all he'd ever wanted was stability. Acceptance. Love.

Bonnie didn't always agree with him. If anything, she disagreed just  _because_ it was him. But she was dependable and she cared and she was loyal to a fault. A very big fault. The kind that usually resulted in her death. Only now, there was none of that. No more vampires or doppelgangers or witches. Just normal, boring, small town life, and it was… idyllic. Sure, he'd always been more attracted to the booming city landscape, but that fit his predatory lifestyle at the time. Now he was a nine-to-fiver that brought home a paycheck and cooked elaborate dinners for the wife. Okay, so she wasn't technically his wife, or even his girlfriend, but she was…  _his_. In a way. It wasn't romantic. He wasn't  _in love_ with her. But… he loved her. He cared about her. He checked every window and door before he went to sleep at night and he worried sometimes, what little he could do in his very human body if they ever did run into a problem. And yeah, that brought up the question of  _could_ they die if they were already dead? Of course, he didn't feel too eager to test that out. All he knew was that Bonnie was  _his_. His friend, his stability, his familiarity, his  _home._

And sometimes, even if he didn't like to think about it, she felt like a lot more than that…

She'd fallen asleep on the couch again; in the middle of reading Jane Eyre, she'd just sort of drifted off. Her feet were in his lap. How he got into the habit of rubbing her feet, he had no idea. He was sure his brother would take great pleasure in making fun of him for it too, but, fortunately (or unfortunately, depending), Stefan wasn't there to see him turn into a bit of a pushover when it came to his smart-alecky former-witch.

So her feet were in his lap, tucked up close to his stomach when the fire began to die down and a faint chill filled the room. He snuck a hand in under her ankles and lifted them as he slid out from under her. He took his time then, checking each of the windows, locking the doors, turning off the lights. Finally, with the fire put out, he made his way back to her. He carefully took the plaid blanket off of her and folded it over the back of the couch before he slid her book from beneath her hand, marked it, and put it on the end table for her to read tomorrow. Tucking his arms under her, he easily lifted her up from the couch. Her head fall back against his shoulder and she shifted a little, but stayed asleep. She was such a tiny little thing; light as a feather, even without his vampire strength. Maneuvering around the furniture, he started down the hall toward their bedroom. The double-doors leading into their room were left open and the crisp smell of potpourri and clean linens met his nose. He laid her down gently on her side of the bed and folded the blanket up and around her. She let out a soft hum and stuck one of her feet out from beneath the blanket, just like always. His mouth ticked up, amused. For a moment, he just stared down at her, content and safe. It'd been a long time since he felt that way, or since he felt like the people he cared about were that way.

Despite always thinking they were all each other had, he knew he had friends here. If he had to pick out his best friends, at least on this plain, it was Danny and Chris. They were good guys. Easy going and always up for hanging out, getting a few drinks, or shooting a game of pool. He had a good routine and he'd made nice with a few people around the neighborhood. He was friendly with all of Bonnie's employees at the shop too; Kayla was a good kid and he liked flirting with Naomi since it always amused her and made her pat his cheek like he was adorable. So he had friends, and he had a life, and, truth be told, if he wanted to, he  _could_ move out and date and build up a life all his own. He just… wasn't ready to. Or maybe he didn't want to. It wasn't just because Bonnie was the only link he had to his life. It wasn't because she was the only person he knew that remembered their friends and family, or knew exactly who he was. It wasn't for any other reason than because she was her.

He would miss her if they weren't together every day.

Hell, he spent half of his work day thinking about what he was going to make her for dinner, what he would surprise her with next, which foods and flavors she would love and which would take her by surprise, what stories from his 160+ years of life he would tell her. He always had a skip in his step when Danny dropped him off in front of the shop, not because his day was over, but because he got to see Bonnie.

He knew it was dangerous territory to be treading on. He knew that it could blow up in his face. And he knew that he wasn't completely over Elena. He wasn't entirely sure he ever would be. But he also knew that Bonnie made him happy. Even when she made him crazy. And maybe, one day, he might explore that. For now though, he was content. So he tucked the blanket in around her shoulders and he climbed in on his side of the bed, and he fell asleep, smiling about the bacon and eggs he was going to make for her in the morning, and how he could use a couple hashed browns to make fangs on the bacon smile.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so, we're starting to see the shift moving beyond friendship here, which I'm really excited about. it's still going to be a while before that romantic end evolves because I do think they're still in a stage where they're not ready for that, but it's interesting to see more intimate moments play out as they grow together. I was also really glad I got to explore a little more of Damon's feelings, because I think he's the type to cover up what's going on in his head until it just kind of boils over.
> 
> thank you all so, so much for reviewing. It's really keeping me motivated and I'm enjoying the different reactions. You're not going to find out why Caroline popped up for a bit yet, but she will make another appearance soon, as well as another mystery that pops up and causes some questions.
> 
> please leave a review; they're very appreciated!
> 
> thanks for reading!
> 
> \- **lee | fina**


	4. hello denial

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **faceclaim** : [C A S T](http://sarcasticfina.tumblr.com/eternity)

**IV.**

* * *

**THREE YEARS**

* * *

Bonnie liked the mornings best.

The nights had their advantages; it was always nice to relax on the couch, a glass of wine in reach and her feet in Damon's lap, not so subtly asking for him to rub them. He always did. Oh, he sighed and complained that she took advantage of his 'kind disposition' but he always went ahead and massaged them.

Still, it was the mornings she loved.

Damon could be a heavy sleeper. Enough that she wondered if it was only his previously sensitive vampire hearing that made sure he woke up before. Or maybe he was just more comfortable here, aware that he was safe so he didn't startle at any small sound. These days, unless it was a weekend, waking him up meant the scent of coffee and shaking his shoulder until he finally gave up and opened his eyes. They had an alarm but he could sleep right through it, every single time.

All things considered, he looked abnormally sweet when he slept. Of course, that didn't stop her from leaping on the bed and yelling "Wake up! Wake up!" She grinned as he startled so bad he nearly fell off the bed.

Retaliation was to be expected, so she wasn't completely surprised when he knocked her leg out from beneath her and pinned her to the bed, awake but tired. He all but growled, "Was that strictly necessary?"

She didn't like to admit that sometimes she did it just for that reaction. For the way he felt on top of her, the weight of him, the look in his sleepy blue eyes. She convinced herself she just felt lonely sometimes, that it was okay to miss those things. It'd been three years since she had that kind of intimacy, it made sense that she would latch onto what she and Damon had. It was the closest thing she had.

Putting it out of her mind, she offered a smug grin. "You've got work in an hour. I distinctly remember you saying you'd make me breakfast, but there's a noticeable lack of eggs frying."

He huffed, rolling his eyes, and then hauled himself off of her to stumble off to the bathroom for a quick shower. "Better be coffee made, little witch!" he called back.

She bit her lip for a moment, listening to the snap of the bathroom door closing as she lay in their bed, the scent of him still invading every breath. Giving her head a shake, she rolled herself out of bed and made her way down the hall to the kitchen. She got the coffee pot going and she grabbed out each of their favorite mugs before she walked to the dining room table and unfolded the newspaper. When he walked out a few minutes later, his hair still wet and dripping, she watched him as he put together their breakfast, turning the radio on to hum to. Life returned to normal. He sat across from her as he put a plate down of scrambled eggs and sausage, a slice of buttered toast and a jar of her favourite jam in reach. She put a sugar cube into his coffee and handed him the newspaper before she focused on her meal.

Conversation flowed comfortably. "Where are you and Danny working today?"

"We're finishing up that garage Andy Wilson wanted built. If he leaves us alone long enough anyway. Guy doesn't know what a hammer looks like, but he keeps trying to give me tips on how to do my job better." He snorted, rolling his eyes, and stole her half-eaten toast, finishing it for her since he knew she wouldn't. "What about you? Who's coming in today?"

"Naomi's day off. Her daughter has a dentist appointment. Brandon's going to help load up inventory, so he'll be by in an hour or so. Annette's running the store this morning; she's trying to get a few extra hours in."

He hummed, nodding. "Kayla's in school?"

"She says she is. But I know she's been skipping a lot lately." Bonnie frowned, sipping her coffee. "She's a smart girl, but…"

"Troubled?"

"Yeah." She nodded. "I don't know. She works hard. I like having her at the store. But her parents mentioned a few times that if she doesn't get her grades up, they won't let her keep working for me."

"Could be good, motivate her to go to school when she realizes she won't be allowed to come back."

"She's got a good head for it. She helped me with a few different recipes. She must've worked with this stuff when she was…" She trailed off.

"Alive?"

She sighed. "I try not to think about it too much, but I can't help it."

He shrugged. "I get it. Sometimes I see Naomi with her kids and I wonder how it happened… if they're even hers."

Bonnie stared at him over the table. "Do you think we're lucky? Knowing what we do?"

He stared back a long moment and then folded the paper up and put it aside. "We have each other, we're lucky that way. But knowing… I don't know. A gift as much as a curse probably."

Their eyes stayed on each other until a honk from outside broke the moment.

Damon blinked a few times, as if to pull him out of his serious haze, and then widened his eyes and stood from the table. "Work beckons." He stood from the table, grabbing his jacket off the back and pulling it on.

"Don't forget your lunch," she reminded.

"Yes, mom," he teased. Before she could argue, he ducked down, pressing a kiss to her cheek. "Chicken parm tonight. I'll see you at six."

She nodded.

"Have a good day," he called, taking his lunch and waving it at her as he walked out the door.

"You too!" she shouted back, staring at the closed door a moment before smiling to herself.

She really loved the mornings.

* * *

**…**

* * *

Damon frowned, staring at shelf upon shelf of tampons. Vaguely, he listened to the tinny music coming in over the speakers; the pharmacy was pretty much dead. There were only three people working, and he was half sure the stock boy in aisle six had fallen asleep on the job. Digging around in the pocket of his jacket, Damon grabbed out his phone and hit one on his speed dial; it rang twice.

"Let me guess, you can't remember which brand I said to get," Bonnie answered knowingly.

"Maybe. Kind of." He rolled his eyes. "Look, I wasn't expecting there to be so many. I know there's flowers on the box, 'cause I've seen them in the cupboard, but just about every damn box has flowers on them…" He tossed a frustrated hand up. "And then there's something about plastic or cardboard and… why am  _I_ doing this? Can we go over that again?"

The noise she made was pure exasperation. " _Because_ , Damon, the Red Sea is currently destroying my insides. If you care about me at all, you'll get me a mountain of chocolate along with this small, tiny,  _infinitesimal_  little task I'm asking of you. And then you'll come home and rub my feet and tell me I look pretty even though I look, and feel, like crap."

Damon pursed his lips, but nodded absently. "Yeah, fine, all of that. Just as soon as you tell me which one of these boxes I'm getting. And how many. Seriously, what's with the variety?"

"Does it matter?" she sighed.

"Not really." He shrugged. "Okay. Brand? And what kind of chocolate? Chop, chop." He snapped his fingers despite knowing she couldn't see him.

Ten minutes later, Damon walked out of the pharmacy, whistling to himself, a bag with tampons, three different kinds of chocolate, and a bottle of Midol in hand.

When he got home, Bonnie was laid up on the couch, heating pad on her stomach. She gave him a pitiful pout and he half-grinned, rolling his eyes at her. "My, my, Miss Bennett, have I mentioned how  _ravishing_ you look tonight?"

Her lips quirked up at the corners. "Very cute."

"I know I am and so are you." Closing the door behind him, Damon kicked his shoes off and tossed his keys in the general direction of the dish on the counter. "You want a back rub?" he asked, bringing the bag with him to the couch.

She brightened, sitting up properly. "And then a foot rub too?  _Pleeease_ …"

"You're pushing it," he said, taking a seat on the couch beside her.

Damon watched, amused, as she dug around in the bag, happily plucking a Caramilk bar and hugging it to her chest as she gave a happy sigh. "You're the best."

"You wanna repeat that?" he asked, cupping a hand behind his ear. "I don't get to hear it  _nearly_ enough."

She rolled her eyes at him and then turned herself away from him, looking back at him over her shoulder. "Wasn't I promised a back rub?"

"Yeah, yeah," he muttered. "The things I do for you…"

Bonnie grinned. "Hey, if you're good, I'll share my chocolate with you."

"Who said all that chocolate was  _yours?_ "

Narrowing her eyes at him, she gathered the bag up into her lap. "No take-backs!"

He chuckled under his breath. "All right, fine. Keep your chocolate." He took her hips in hand and readjusted her so he could start massaging her back. "Just don't expect this to become a monthly thing…"

Bonnie snorted knowingly.

It definitely became a monthly thing.

* * *

**…**

* * *

The delivery guy was flirting with her. He was cute too; tall, broad-shouldered, classically handsome, with a crooked smile that always made her grin in reply. Every few weeks, he arrived with a new batch of supplies for her store and had her sign off on them before he wheeled them into her home office.

"You're early," Bonnie said, scribbling her signature down at the bottom. "I wasn't expecting you for another hour." Which was why she was still in her pajamas, her hair unbrushed, and her face noticeably lacking in make-up. Not that she dressed up for him or anything… Okay, fine, maybe a little bit. It was just nice was all, that little bit of attention he gave her.

"Yeah, sorry, we had someone cancel their usual order, so you got bumped up," Carl explained.

Bonnie shrugged. "It's fine. Just haven't had time to get ready." She wrinkled her nose.

He gave her a thorough look-over and offered that crooked grin. "I wouldn't worry about it." He leaned in to say in a jokingly conspiratorial voice, "Trust me, you pull the 'just rolled out of bed' thing off."

Bonnie blushed a little, reaching up to tuck her hair behind her ear. "Well, um, thank you. I think."

"What are we thanking who for?" Damon piped up then, suddenly appearing by her side.

"Oh. Uh… Nothing." She turned to look at him, motioning in front of her. "Carl was just telling me he's early… What time's Danny going to be here?"

"Soon." Damon kept his eyes on Carl for a long moment and then asked, "You need help unloading that, or…?"

Carl jumped a little, glanced down at the boxes stacked on top of the dolly at this side, and shook his head. "Uh, no, that's fine, sorry. I should get these unloaded. I have a few other people to see this morning."

Damon stepped back out of the doorway and watched through narrowed eyes as Carl wheeled the dolly down the hall toward the office. Turning to Bonnie, he said, "He sure looks  _familiar_ with our house."

Bonnie pursed her lips at him. "He should, he's been stopping by every few weeks for three years now."

"And you just  _let_ him in, to wander around and  _touch_ things?"

"Damon, he walks to the office, stacks the boxes, and leaves. He's not hanging out to touch anything."

He arched his brows at her meaningfully. "Are you sure you don't  _want_ him to?"

Putting her hands on her hips, she demanded, "What's  _that_ supposed to mean?'

He frowned at her, letting out an annoyed breath, and then turned to walk back into the kitchen, grabbing up his mug of coffee to occupy his mouth with. Following after him, she stared at his back, reaching over to poke his shoulder irritably. "You can't just drop a snarky comment and then leave me in the dark."

Tapping his fingers on the counter, he turned around to face her. "You were  _flirting_ with him," he said, voice dripping with accusation.

Her mouth fell open. "I was  _not!_ "

"Oh, delivery-guy, I feel so exposed, you seeing me in my cute pajamas without any make up on, you must find me just  _hideous_ ," he said, mimicking her, terribly, in a high-pitched voice.

"I didn't say that! And I don't sound like that," she told him, shaking her head.

"Close enough," he muttered, finishing off his coffee before he moved to the fridge, reaching inside and grabbing out his lunch.

Bonnie glared at the back of his head as he went through his lunch to make sure he had everything. The squeaking of the dolly briefly caught her attention as Carl came back out of the office.

"All right, that's all of it. I'll, uh, see you next month, Bonnie," Carl told her, waving his clipboard in farewell.

"Yes, thank you, Carl, have a good delivery day." She followed him to the door so she could close it behind him and raised her hand to wave as he made his way down the hill to his truck parked on the road.

"Thanks Carl," Damon said, mimicking her voice again. "Sure you don't want to call him back, see if he can put all those delivery-guy muscles to work?"

Bonnie inhaled deeply and let it out in a heavy breath. "I'm going to do you a favor and pretend this whole, weird, jealousy thing never happened." She threw her hands up and turned on her heel to leave.

"Jealous… Hey, I am  _not_ jealous of some lame delivery guy!" he called after her. "I have nothing to be jealous about!"

She rolled her eyes, not bothering to reply.

" _Bonnie!_ "

Arms crossed over her chest, she looked back at him, only to find him standing awkwardly in the kitchen, his brow furrowed and his mouth set in a line.

"I…" He ground his teeth. "I don't like it. This is our  _home_. I don't… I don't want to share it." The look on his face said a lot more than that, but he didn't give voice to those things. The " _Or you_ " went unsaid.

Bonnie stared back at him, her anger of before evaporating as she stared at the conflicted but serious expression on his face. Her lips parted, to say what she had no idea, and then a horn honked outside.

Damon offered a tilted grin then. "That's my ride." He grabbed up his lunch and started for the door. "I'll see you tonight… I was thinking we might have lasagna… Sheila's recipe."

She relaxed then and smiled back. "Okay." As he reached for the door, she said quickly, " _Damon_."

He looked back.

She stared at him searchingly. "I would never…" She trailed off, chewing at her lip, and then said, "I respect our home. I… I  _love_ our home."

He kept his eyes locked on her for a few long seconds before he nodded. "Okay."

"Okay."

The horn honked again and he finally pulled the door open. "Have a good day at work."

"You too."

As he walked out the door, Bonnie watched him go, a heavy pressure in her chest that she wasn't quite sure she knew how to label. Swallowing the urge down, she instead put her focus on her newly delivery inventory. Sometimes denial was a good friend.

* * *

**…**

* * *

"Ferris wheel!" she cheered happily, taking his hand and yanking him forward, demanding he follow her.

They'd been at the carnival for at least an hour and Damon was more than ready to pack it in and go home. But Bonnie had been waiting for the line at the ferris wheel to die down since they'd gotten there and now it seemed it was at a tolerable length. They'd already been on just about every other ride the fair had to offer and they'd played enough games for him to learn he was much better when he had his vampire skills. Bonnie, on the other hand, had won him not one but  _two_ different teddy bears, and was more than a little smug about it. If he didn't know better, he would think she'd worked her witchy juju on the games, but she was still powers free, just like him, which probably made it all the more impressive.

Bouncing in place when they reached the front of the line, Bonnie tugged on the sleeve of his shirt so he would hand over the tickets for them to climb onto the ride. Despite himself, he was grinning at her enthusiasm and joined her in the little rocking seat, an arm tucked behind her as they started to rise.

They were halfway up when he noticed how tightly she was gripping the bar. Raising an eyebrow, he asked, "Are you scared?"

"Not… a  _lot_ …" she answered awkwardly.

"You've been looking forward to this ride ever since you heard the fair was coming to town," he reminded.

"It's a good kind of scared," she defended. "You get that swooping in your stomach because you're so high up and it's…  _exhilarating_  and terrifying and weirdly fun. I don't know." She shrugged, leaning back, her shoulder pressed to his. "It's pretty up here and it feels a little like being suspended, you know. Floating, out of reach, not quite safe, but not totally unsafe either."

He watched her face as she talked and nodded a little. "Yeah… I get it."

She looked back at him, her mouth turned up at the corners.

She was beautiful, lit up by the lights of the ferris wheel, blinking and dancing all over her. Her hair had grown out and she'd pulled it up in a half pony tail, a few wisps having fallen out from all the rides they'd been on. Her eyes seemed brighter than usual, warm with excitement and joy.

"You got your camera?" he wondered.

"Always," she said happily, reaching for her bag and pulling out the old Polaroid camera to hand to him.

He turned a little in his seat and aimed it at her. She smiled readily, but then he purposely rocked their seat, grinning as panic hit her face suddenly, which was when he pressed down on the button.

"Damon!" she exclaimed, shoving his shoulder.

"Authenticity matters," he defended, handing her the camera while he waved the picture.

Bonnie rolled her eyes, but leaned over into him, her chin on his chest as she watched the picture, waiting to see how it looked.

The ferris wheel started to move again, filled up, slowly taking its full spin around. Bonnie turned her face to take in the fair grounds and far beyond, to the town square and the spattering of shops, hers included. Damon wrapped his arm around her and she leaned into him, head falling back to his shoulder. He tucked the picture of her into the pocket of his shirt and just enjoyed the ride. When they paused at the top, her hand reached for his, hanging over her shoulder, and she folded their fingers together. On top of the world, when his stomach swooped, he knew it had nothing to with how high up he was and everything to do with her. Pressing a kiss to the top of her head, he dug out a few more tickets, and when the ride stopped at the bottom, he paid for another go around. He could happily do it, again and again, just like this, for the rest of his afterlife.

* * *

**…**

* * *

"Kayla?"

The younger girl startled at her name and turned around abruptly to see Bonnie leaving the line-up of the bustling café, her wallet in hand. She stared at Kayla, her brow furrowed, and double-checked the time on her watch. "Shouldn't you be in school?"

Swallowing tightly, Kayla sat back and sighed, slumping in her chair. She let her long hair fall over her face as she stared down at the tabletop in front of her.

Bonnie frowned knowingly and then nodded. "I think we need to talk."

Kayla bit her lip and shook her head. "Don't fire me.  _Please_. I love working at the shop."

Taking a seat across from her, Bonnie sighed. "I don't  _want_ to fire you. But your parents have called me more than a few times. They're worried about your grades slipping, and so am I. School goes by a lot faster than you think. You have to start planning for your future now. I know it sucks and school's not fun, but… There's life after high school, trust me."

She nodded slightly. "I know. It's just…  _hard_. I don't really have any friends and I always feel off, you know? Like I don't belong there… The only place I feel like I fit is in the shop."

"Well, what can we do to change that? Would it make it easier to do your homework at the shop, let you focus? Because you can use my office…"

Kayla shrugged. "Maybe, I don't know."

"Then let's try that. As for actual school… I can't do much about that. But you  _do_  have to go."

She sighed, long and heavy, but nodded. "I guess."

Standing from her seat, Bonnie said, "Come on, I'll give you a ride in. I'll even let you pick the radio station."

Half-smiling, Kayla nodded, standing from her seat and pulling her backpack onto her shoulder.

As they walked outside to the car, Kayla reached for the handle, but paused. "Hey Bonnie?"

"Yeah?" she said, looking at her over the roof of the car.

"Thank you," she said, soft and sincere.

Bonnie smiled at her. "Any time."

* * *

**…**

* * *

"Do you miss it?"

Bonnie looked up from the candles she had spread out over the table in front of her, labels laid out and pen poised to write their names. "Miss what?" she wondered.

Damon stared at her from his perch on the couch, his feet up on the coffee table like she hated. "Your little witchy powers… All these candles, and you have to light them like normal people."

Her mouth turned up at the corners. "I plan on selling them, not lighting them."

Damon rolled his eyes. "You know what I mean…" He tossed his book to the cushion beside him and pushed up from the couch, making his way over to take a seat in the chair across from her, picking up the odd candle to give it a sniff before putting it back down.

"Hey," she complained, grabbing up the pear and putting it back with the others instead of the lemon and sage he'd put it with. "You did that on purpose."

"Guilty," he admitted freely, smirking.

Bonnie shook her head, focusing on her labels once more. "Yes. I do miss it," she finally told him. "I miss what it felt like and how…  _connected_ I felt to things. I miss feeling  _unique_  in a way. But I  _don't_ miss all the bad stuff that came along with it."

"Hmm." He watched her, his hands stacked on the table. "Aren't you going to ask me?"

Her mouth twitched. "No. I already know you miss your powers. You complain all the time that it takes too long to get places and that compulsion made your life so much easier."

He nodded in a rather exaggerated fashion. "Yeah, that's true. Minor inconveniences, but annoying all the same.  _Still_ … there are perks to being human."

She raised an eyebrow curiously, handing him a few labels and a pen. "Like?"

He took them from her and dramatically wrote a few labels out. His calligraphy was much better than hers. "Food tastes better when you're human. When you're a vampire, the only thing that's  _really_ good is blood. Everything else you just kind of get used to, do it more out of habit or to keep up appearances. Speaking of, there aren't any unexpected cravings for B-positive, so I don't end up attacking my coworkers when I get a little hungry. Normal smell and hearing, both a positive and a negative. All these candles don't completely blow my brain up, but I also can't listen in on what the neighbors are doing just for kicks... Trade off, I guess."

Bonnie smiled. "Anything else?"

He hummed, turning his head up thoughtfully. "Well, I'm already dead, so the whole mortal/immortal pro/con thing is off the table…"

"Which means you're aging, too." She peered at him. "What are you, biologically, like… twenty-nine, now?"

"About that, yeah."

Her eyes lit up. "We should have a birthday party."

"What?  _No_." He shook his head. "No. No way. Strangers all over the place, having to play nice, you know I don't like those things." He gave a dramatic shudder. "This is my sanctuary, Bonnie."

"Who said it has to be here? We could rent out a table at one of your favorite restaurants or something. Invite your workers and everyone from the shop and,  _ooh_ , Tom and Leslie too!" She bounced a little in her seat. "Come on, it'll be great! We never get to celebrate those things. I think we got so used to some big catastrophe happening that we never really enjoyed the little things, the  _important_ things… So? When is it? I'll start planning now and have everything ready. Seriously, I'll pull a Caroline and go full party-planner on it, you won't have to deal with one detail."

He stared at her a long moment and then dropped his gaze to the labels. "Yeah, uh, if that's what you wanna do, sure… It's June 28th. You wanna get technical, I'll be 177."

"Well, I'm not sure how well that'll go over with everyone else, but I'm sure I'll find a way to wiggle in your real age." She stared at him, his brow furrowed, and his attention set on the labels in front of him. "What? What's wrong?"

He shook his head. "Nothing."

"No. I know that face. Something's bugging you."

"Nothing's bugging me. I'm just tired."

"Damon, you had a three hour nap today… Seriously, you slept in until noon, had a bowl of cereal, read your book for a while, and then just fell asleep."

"It was a busy week." He pushed up from his chair and moved into the kitchen. "I'm making tea, you wanna cup?"

"I want you to talk to me." Leaving the table, she followed after him. "Is this about your birthday? I know I got a little worked up, but if you really don't want to have a party, it's fine. We don't have to. We can order in dinner, I'll make dessert, a cake or a cupcake or something, and we can just hang out here, open a bottle of wine, and reminisce about 177 years of debauchery and fun…" She watched him, her back against the island counter, as he worked at making their tea, carefully avoiding eye contact. " _Damon_ …"

He finally stopped, pressing his hands to the edge of the counter, and let out a long, heavy breath. When he turned to her, his eyes danced over her face, serious and focused and searching for…  _something_. "This is what I like."

"What?"

"About being human." He stepped toward her, close enough that she had to tip her head a little to see him. "I like how much people care. That a birthday is important even though I've had 177 of them already. I like that there are people out there that find it significant and I like that  _you_ want to celebrate it, like it's actually  _worth_ celebrating despite two years of mistakes and screw ups that you probably never should have forgiven me for…

"And in a weird way, I even like that I look older than I did the day we got here. Because when you have nothing to lose, no end in sight, it's really easy to forget what's important and to get reckless and stupid and to make so many bad choices. But here, I don't do that… or at least, not as often. I still push my luck with you, mostly because it's fun and you're cute when you're angry, and I like it when you call me on my bullshit. But mostly, I'm just a human, toeing the line, and getting older, and it's… awesome and scary and I woke up this morning and I swear, I thought I saw a grey hair. It was a trick of the light, but  _still_ …"

He swallowed, staring down at her. "We can have the party, and we can invite our friends, and I'll even smile when they sing a really awful, off-key rendition of 'Happy Birthday.' But at the end of the day, when it's just you and me, that's when I'm happiest. Because I'm human, and you're human, and we're… human together."

Bonnie swallowed tightly, her lips parting, though she wasn't quite sure what she wanted to say.

"Too sentimental?" he asked, grabbing up his bravado like a shield. "I should've just distracted you with tea or—"

He didn't get a chance to finish as she wrapped her arms around him in a hug, her face buried against his chest.

He went still, his arms slowly reaching up to wrap around her.

"Don't get used to it," she murmured. "I'm not going to hug you every time you have a little breakthrough coming to grips with your humanity." She turned her head, her cheek pressed to him. "But just so we're clear… You did a lot of things, things I don't agree with, or approve of, things I wish we could change… But I've forgiven you for some of that. We still need to talk about it, eventually. I know why you did some of it and I still don't think it was all worth it, but… You're my friend, Damon. You matter to me. Your life matters. So you  _will_ smile when we sing to you and when we eat cake and give you presents and when we celebrate having you in our lives. All right?"

He stroked a hand down the back of her head, settling it on the nape of her neck, and gave it a gentle, affectionate squeeze. When he leaned back, he reached down and tapped her nose. "All right."

She smiled up at him lightly. "I'll take that tea now…" As she let him go, she moved back around to the table. "And I still expect you to help me with these labels."

He rolled his eyes, sighing long and loud. "The things I do for you, Bonnie Bennett."

She grinned back at him over her shoulder and he smiled back, small but sincere.

It was enough.

* * *

**…**

* * *

"Date night?" Naomi asked, looking over at Bonnie as she came out of the bathroom in a different outfit than she'd been wearing all day.

"Yeah. Damon, being Damon, made the reservations for seven, which means I don't really have time to go home and get ready." She gave a little spin. "What do you think?"

"You'll knock his socks off, honey." Naomi winked at her. "Lucky guy you got there."

"I prefer to think she's the lucky one, but I can't argue," Damon's voice cut in as he crossed the store from the door. He gave a long, appreciative whistle and wiggled his eyebrows. "Looking even more beautiful than usual, Bennett." He reached for her hand and tugged her toward him, raising it so he could press a kiss to her knuckles. "Ready for dinner?"

"Dinner is a means to an end, Salvatore. I was promised dancing."

His mouth curled up in a smirk. "Sure your tiny little feet can take it."

Slapping her clutch against his chest, she said, "You just try and keep up, old man."

He laughed, low and throaty, and gave her a little spin, hugging her against his side before he started for the door.

"Thanks for closing up, Naomi," Bonnie said over her shoulder.

"Happy to, sweetheart. You have a good night!"

"Thanks, I plan to." Turning, she looked up at Damon as they left the shop. "So? Where are we going?"

"Dinner at Giovanni's and then it's a 60's theme night at the hall. It's too bad you don't have that cute go-go dress from before, but this'll do too."

Glancing down at her dress, she argued, "It's not even  _close_ to 60's style."

"You'll just have to make up for it in dance moves then." He shrugged. "It's either that or we turn on the radio at home. This town isn't exactly club central."

"60's dance hall it is." She leaned into his side. "Although I might just take you up on that radio later. At least at home I can go barefoot."

"Whatever strikes your fancy," he said, grinning down at her.

Bonnie smiled. "You say that now… Wait until you're the only one on my dance card."

He gave her a squeeze. "Looking forward to it."

* * *

**…**

* * *

Damon's heart was in his throat.

Naomi had called three times, but with all the noise of the tools going around him, he hadn't heard it. Finally picking up his phone on his lunch break, he checked his messages, only to get a frantic and worried one from Bonnie's store manager about an accident that resulted in Bonnie being taken to the hospital. Panic seized him then and he was quick to ask Danny to borrow his truck; the hospital was too far for him to go on foot.

The whole ride to the hospital, he was anxious. Naomi hadn't left much to go off of, just that Bonnie was hurt and he should head to the hospital or give them a call as soon as he could. Given all they'd been through in the past, and his long 177 years of experience, his mind went to the worst case scenarios first. What if it was fatal? Was that even possible? What if there were plains of death and she went to a different one, without him? What if he lost her? His hands squeezed tightly around the steering wheel and he had to swallow tightly.

Pulling into the parking lot of the hospital, he left the truck, parked a little crookedly, and ran inside, hurrying to the front desk. "Bonnie Bennett," he said without preamble. "She was injured at work, I… I don't know how. I just… Can you tell me where she is?"

"Are you family?"

"Am I…  _Yes_. Kind of. We're together. It's…" He ran a hand through his hair, agitated. "Just tell me where she is, if she's okay,  _something_."

"Damon!"

He turned abruptly to see Naomi standing just down the hall, a cup of coffee in hand.

Leaving the desk behind, he jogged toward her. "Where is she?" he demanded.

Naomi pointed to a room twenty feet ahead of her. "They just finished putting the cast on. We were in the waiting room for quite a while."

"The cast?"

She didn't have time to answer, however, as he'd already stepped inside to see Bonnie sitting on the edge of a hospital bed, cradling her arm to her chest, wearing a brand new, hot pink cast. The wave of relief that hit him nearly knocked his legs out from beneath him.

"Jesus Christ," he muttered under his breath, crossing the room toward her. His hands cupped her face as he stared down at her searchingly. "You all right? What the hell happened?"

"I'm okay," she reassured, nodding. She reached up to cover one of his hands. "Honestly. It was just a dumb mistake. A light bulb went out and I figured I'd change it myself. I got out the ladder, climbed up there, and well… It was a little too close to the door and a customer walked in, and the rest is history… Knocked me right over. I landed on my arm funny, hence…" She glanced down, directing his attention to her cast.

"You're sure that's it? You didn't hit your head or anything?" He looked over her head, his hands sliding up, searching for a goose egg under her hair.

"Damon, I'm fine," she assured, catching one of his wrists with her fingers. "Honestly, the only thing that's bruised is my pride. It was embarrassing."

"I don't care how embarrassing it was." He brought his arm around her and pulled her in close, her face buried against his chest. "I got that call and I thought…" He swallowed tightly, closing his eyes.

Bonnie wrapped her arm around him carefully, her other hand gripping the front of his shirt. "It's okay. I'm fine."

He nodded, but kept her wrapped up in his arms, his face falling to bury at her neck. It was a few minutes before he let go, and even then it had more to do with the doctor arriving than anything else. Bonnie was given a clean bill of health other than her cast and was told she could go home. If there were any other complications, she should come in immediately, but they were pretty sure it was just the arm and that it would heal just fine in time.

Damon kept his arm around her waist as he walked her out of the hospital.

"Don't you have to get back to work?" she wondered.

"Yeah. I need to bring Danny's truck back. Look, get Naomi to bring you back to the store. I'll meet you there and we can go home."

"Damon, honestly, I'm fine. I have a lot to do at the store and—"

He leaned down, pressing his forehead to hers, and she cut herself off, staring up at him.

"I thought I lost you, Bonnie…" His voice was thick, and he swallowed tightly. "I can't just go back to work and pretend that didn't scare five years off my afterlife all right?"

She stared up at him and, after a moment, nodded. "Okay."

"Okay." He pressed a kiss to her forehead, lingering a long moment, and then he let her go, and walked her to Naomi's waiting Volkswagen. He helped Bonnie into the passenger seat and reached past her to do up her seat belt before he stepped back, closing the door behind her. "Twenty minutes, all right?"

She nodded.

After the car left, he made his way over to the truck and started back for the work site. The whole ride there, a little voice repeated, over and over, " _She's okay, she's okay, it's okay, she's okay_."

Five years ago, he could remember deciding that, if it came down to it, he could sacrifice the witch. There was no love lost between them and, if it came down to it, he would trade her life for Elena's. Things were different now. Dramatically so. The mere thought of losing Bonnie was… terrifying to him. Not because he would be left alone, but because he wouldn't have her there, and he didn't want to know what that was like. He never wanted to know what that felt like. So he wouldn't. He vowed, then and there, he didn't care what it took, he'd keep his little witch alive and well. And his. Always his.

* * *

**…**

* * *

"How's Bonnie doing?" Danny wondered. "She still bitching she can't do anything with her cast?"

Damon snorted. "She had me do the books for her last night. She leaned over my shoulder and corrected everything I did. Felt like I was in school again…" He frowned. "I  _hated_ school."

"How much longer until it comes off?" Chris asked, topping off each of their glasses with the pitcher of beer he'd bought.

"Two more weeks, tops. She can't wait. I think she marked it down on the calendar." He smiled, amused. "She's driving Naomi nuts, too. Bonnie's getting her to do everything she can't at the store, which, apparently, is a lot."

"Yeah, Brandon said she's been a bit more stressed lately," Chris offered.

"I've got it covered. Tomorrow's her day off and I've got it all planned out. Naomi's going to talk her into a spa day and then I'll pick her up after, take her for dinner and a movie, run her a hot bath, give her a massage, she'll be stress free," he boasted, tipping his beer back.

"Cheers, brother," Danny said. "Now that we got  _your_  lady problems figured out, why don't you two help me figure mine out?"

"Carla still talking about having a baby?" Chris asked, half-grinning.

"No, not baby.  _Babies_. Plural. Like, a bucket load of 'em." He shook his head as they laughed. "I don't have the income for that. Hell, I don't have the income for  _one_. And besides, we're not married yet. I always kind of pictured the whole thing before I settled down, y'know?"

"You said 'yet'…" Damon pointed out, eyebrow raised. "Meaning you're planning on marrying her eventually."

Danny sighed, sitting back in his seat. "Yeah, I guess I am."

"I call godfather to at least one of those brats," Chris said. "The cutest one, obviously."

"Keep the cute one, I want the smart one," Damon decided. "She can help her uncle hit it big and retire. Me and Bonnie can live it up in some mansion on the hill and I'll rent the house out to rowdy college kids."

"Still feuding with Gladys?" Danny asked, eyebrow quirked.

His mouth screwed up with distaste and then brightened abruptly. "I'm thinking of starting a garage band… Something  _loud_  and  _angry_." He looked between them, smirking. "Who's interested…?"

* * *

**…**

* * *

" _Happy birthday to you… and many moooore…_ "

Damon was the loudest singer of them all; Bonnie was pretty sure he could make a competition out of anything.

Her cheeks were flushed and her eyes darted around to all the familiar faces surrounding the table. She felt a tiny bit embarrassed by the attention, but, at the same time, incredibly grateful. The cake in front of her was covered in brightly burning candles. She leaned forward, inhaling deeply, and paused, smiling up at Damon as he caught her hair, pulling it behind her so it wouldn't fall into the icing or the flames. He nodded his chin forward and she turned back, looking down at the flickering candle flames. Inhaling deeply, she closed her eyes and made her wish. Abruptly, she blew out her candles, turning her head side to side to get them all. All but one went out, a single candle still burning triumphantly, and she gave it one last blow to add it to the rest.

Naomi reached over then, pulling the cake in her direction to take out all the candles and put them on a little pink paper plate.

The others were talking, a collection of voices filling the room, and Bonnie sat back with a smile, watching them all. Her friends, her employees, people she cared about and who cared about her back. When her eyes burned, she wanted to blame it on the leftover smoke from the candles, but a part of her was blindingly sad that two specific faces weren't added to the mix, while another part of her was just so happy that she had these people with her.

A hand fell to her shoulder, squeezing gently, and Bonnie turned, looking up to see Damon half-smiling down at her. She rested her chin atop his hand for a moment and let her eyes fall to half-mast. She didn't have Caroline or Elena and there was a good chance she never would again. That made her heart ache; it made it clench and burn. But they were okay, they were alive, and they would want her to be happy. Especially today.

So she blinked back her tears, reaching up to swipe quickly beneath her eyes, and then she turned a bright smile on her friends. She accepted the knife Naomi offered and started cutting up the cake to serve out slices to everyone, including Naomi's and Annette's kids, who were running around, playing tag and hide n' seek until cake became a very real option. She handed out each slice and watched the kids scurry off with icing beards.

Forking up a bite of her own, she watched as Damon threw his head back, laughing at whatever he, Chris and Danny were talking about, and something warm settled in her chest.

"So? What'd you wish for?" Naomi wondered.

Bonnie turned, smiling at her close friend. Sincerely, she answered, "Peace."

Naomi bumped her shoulder with hers. "Of the world variety or…?"

"No. Nothing that big. Maybe I'm selfish, but… I just want it for myself."

"We should all want a little peace in or lives," she agreed. "We never really enjoy it when we have it, but you better believe we recognize we need it when it's gone."

Bonnie nodded agreeably. "Definitely. Which is why I'm going to make more of an effort to appreciate what I have. Starting now. Today. No more waiting for the ball to drop or telling myself to relax later. I want peace and I can have it."

Humming, Naomi raised a thoughtful brow. "Is it really a wish if you create it for yourself?"

"Maybe it's more of a promise then, to me."

"Doesn't that take the magic out of it?"

Bonnie grinned. "Realizing I need to give myself a break is probably a miracle, so if anything, I think we can say that's magic enough."

Naomi smiled. "All right then." She reached over, hugging an arm around Bonnie's shoulders. "Well, I can't say I disagree. You deserve a break. Sometimes I look at you and all I see is a giant ball of stress. Where it comes from, I don't know, but I'm always here if you want to talk about it. You know that, right?"

Bonnie rested her head against Naomi's affectionately. "I do. And I might just take you up on that one day."

"Good."

"Who's ready for presents?" Annette suddenly exclaimed.

With that, the party got back on track and Bonnie purposely put any melancholy feelings about the two people she most wanted to be there to the back of her mind. She had to focus on the here and now; it was time to let go of her guilt and her regret and accept that this was life and it could be amazing if she would let it.

Happy birthday to her.

* * *

**…**

* * *

Of course, as soon as Bonnie asked for peace, the world offered her the opposite…

She was searching the bookshelves for nothing in particular. It was her day off and she planned on relaxing on the couch with a good book, preferably something that she hadn't read before. Considering the sheer volume of books they owned, that looked like a very real possibility. What she found instead was nothing she'd ever expected. Spine after spine, new and old, she dismissed some on title alone, and others out of familiarity, and then, she found her fingers lingering on a faded brown spine, no title to be seen, but a very familiar split that curved up from the bottom. The book was worn, well used, and increasingly familiar.

Bonnie's fingers began to shake as she very slowly pulled it from the shelf. There was no title on the front, no embellishments. It was simple, old, and very,  _very_  important.

A tear tripped down her cheek as she slumped down to her knees, opening the cover and letting her palm rest over the front page of thick, aged parchment. It took her a few moments to gather herself. She flipped through the pages, looking over each spell with affection, a smile turning up one corner of her mouth. Her family grimoire was heavy in her lap, but in the best way possible. For a few minutes, all she could think about was how good it felt to have something so intrinsically hers right there in front of her. She'd been separated from home, from her powers, for so long.

She frowned then. As far as she knew, her powers were still very much gone. She'd long stopped trying to use them, but even without that, she just knew. She could feel their absence. The part of her that was connected to the spirits, to the earth, to her abilities, it was hollow, like a well inside her that couldn't be filled. And it still felt that way. Even now, even holding the book that offered her any number of possibilities, she could feel the absence of her powers like a gaping hole in her gut.

Despite knowing that, however, she immediately started trying to use her powers. She focused on the candle on the coffee table, stared at it with all of her attention, with every fibre of herself, and she said with complete authority, " _Incendia_."

She waited, hopeful, determined, but nothing. Not a twitch, not a flicker, nothing.

Bonnie tried again.

She tried over and over again. She searched her grimoire for the simplest of spells, but nothing worked. Nothing happened.

She had her grimoire and nothing she could use it for.

Biting down on her lip, she shook her head, dropping her gaze down to the book in front of her. And she couldn't help but wonder, "What are you here for?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so there's definitely a lot more hints toward romantic feelings in this one, but as you can see, there's a bit of a hitch in the situation with the arrival of the grimoire. this was the other mystery I mentioned in the previous chapter. it's also going to cause some tension with bonnie and damon, for reasons you'll understand next chapter.
> 
> thank you so much for reading! I'm so happy to read each and every one of your reviews and to see how much you're enjoying the journey so far!
> 
> please leave a review if you can! they really keep me going!
> 
> thanks,
> 
>  
> 
> **\- lee | fina**


	5. liar, liar

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **faceclaim** : [C A S T](http://sarcasticfina.tumblr.com/eternity)

**V.**

* * *

**FOUR YEARS**

* * *

Bonnie couldn't count on all of her fingers and toes how many arguments she and Damon had between them. Since the moment he set foot into her life, his sole purpose seemed to be to cause havoc. Havoc that she always ended up having to clean up in some way. Usually at the cost of her time and energy, her  _life_ , expending her magic while he made snarky comments and put her down, with his crazy eyes and eager to kill fang-face. And when they got stuck in this alternate reality, that hadn't changed. Not right away. They had been better, learning to rely on and trust each other, to see each other as people first and not as a means to an end. But the fights could still be harsh, still make her bristle, her very bones shaking with righteous fury. Eventually, that anger became little more than irritation. Those fights were no longer a matter of life or death so much as the average, bicker-type arguments that happened to regular people. People who weren't vampires or witches, who weren't looking around every corner for the next problem. Their arguments nowadays never ended with her in tears, frustrated or otherwise. They didn't end in her giving him an aneurysm or magically throwing him away from her. And they didn't end in her nearly having her throat torn out by his teeth.

More often than not, their fights ended with sighing or eye-rolling or her turning on her heel and walking away, needing space, usually holing up in her office while she tried to get some perspective. Ending was subjective, though. Because it wasn't so much an 'end' as it was a 'pause.' A pause until a Damon-like apology or a Bonnie-esque compromise could be made.

When it was Damon apologizing, it meant not  _actually_ apologizing…

The knock at the office door was tentative.

Still a little steamed, Bonnie pursed her lips, her chin set stubbornly.

He sighed, his head clunking against the door. "Bonnie, c'mon, it's been two hours… What're you gonna do? Set down roots, have take-out delivered through the window?"

She rolled her eyes.

"I know you're rolling your eyes at me, but that was a legitimate question. You haven't eaten since breakfast. I know you skipped lunch because you didn't touch last night's leftovers and you  _love_ ravioli…"

Her traitorous stomach rumbled and she glared down at it. Now was not the time for weakness!

He tapped his finger on the door. "It's half-off wing night at Sadie's… We haven't gone out in a while and I know you love their hot wings…"

She twisted her mouth to the side, her eyes turned off, considering his offer.

"We can play a game of darts, share a pitcher, I  _might_ even let you win at pool."

She snorted, and then quickly covered her mouth, hoping he didn't hear her.

"I heard that," he sing-sang.

"I  _sneezed_ ," she told him stubbornly.

He sighed, long and loud. "Fine. Be like that. I'll just have to eat your wings too. With extra hot sauce on the side, maybe a basket of onion rings."

"You don't even  _like_ their onion rings," she told him, turning at the waist to frown at the closed door.

"See! If you don't come, who knows what I'll do!"

Shaking her head, she bit down on her lip to hide a smile. "This doesn't mean you're off the hook. I'm still mad at you! You can't just go out and buy a car on a  _whim_ , Damon!"

"Hey, that car was practically  _screaming_ my name! It's a  _mustang_ , Bonnie! And it was on sale. For a  _steal_ , too. It was like some cosmic force said, 'Hey, Damon, I know you're missing your car and Bonnie is  _rudely_ hoarding her car for herself, so why don't you buy this sweet ride here and fix her up!'"

"Emphasis on 'fix-up'! That car's a piece of junk and you know it!" she called back.

"It's a  _classic_! And you say that now, but you wait until I'm done with it. It'll be a piece of  _art!_ "

"Mm-hmm…" She raised an unconvinced eyebrow and shook her head.

"Look, maybe I should've talked to you ahead of time… Mostly because we share a bank account, not so much because I can't make my own life choices. Because I'm an adult, a very  _old_ adult, who is used to making decisions about his life on his  _own_ , without  _input_ , and who doesn't generally like having somebody else weigh in on those choices…"

She paused then, looking back to the door, and very slowly pushed up from the floor, walking over.

" _But_ , we do make those choices together now, and we share everything, so maybe next time… I'll talk to you."

Chewing her lip, she reached out and turned the door handle, swinging it open to find him leaning in front of her, a half-smirk turning up his mouth.

"That's all I ask," she said.

He smiled down at her, brows hiked. "Pretty you sure ask for a  _lot_ more than that, but that's fine…" He leaned in and stared her in the eye. "I  _forgive_ you."

Scoffing, she shoved his chest. " _Whatever_ …" Walking past him, she made her way down the hall. "You're buying the wings."

He rolled his eyes and followed after her. "Joint banking account, remember?" He hip-checked her.

Stumbling, she glared at his back, but her lips were curled up in amusement. "So it can come out of your car fund. Because you're going to have one. A strict one. One that doesn't interrupt us paying bills and the mortgage and  _definitely_ isn't coming out of our date-night jar."

He made a 'yap-yap-yap' motion with his hand, but grabbed her jacket off the coat rack and held it out for her. " _Deal_."

Sliding her arms through the sleeves, she smiled as he pulled her hair out of the back for her. "Shake on it?" She held out a hand.

He half-grinned, took her hand, and spun her in a circle under his arm. When she came to a stop, she was laughing, and he hung his arm over her shoulder. "Think of it this way, when it's all done and in mint condition… I'll take you out on the town. Me and you. We'll paint it red."

Nodding up at him, she said, "Looking forward to it."

Sometimes the words 'I'm sorry' were necessary, but more often than not, she knew that Damon's way of apologizing was more action oriented, and she could accept that.

* * *

**…**

* * *

"What's this?"

Kayla looked up from her Trig homework, pure embarrassment covering her face. "Nothing!" she said, her voice a little off-pitch as she reached forward and grabbed the colorful flyer right out of Bonnie's hands. "It's nothing, it's stupid."

"Doesn't look stupid." Bonnie peered down at it, a little crumpled in Kayla's hand. "Looks like a pretty fun dance class…"

Shoulders slumped, Kayla glanced at her and then away. "You dance?"

"I was a cheerleader in high school, and before that, I used to do hip-hop at a dance studio. I even taught a few classes."

Chewing her lip, Kayla asked, "Really?"

"It was a lot of fun." Bonnie nodded. "Good music, great workout, and it definitely helps with your coordination." She eyed her thoughtfully. "Were you thinking about joining?"

Shrugging, she said, "I don't know. Maybe…" She turned her eyes down to the notebook in front of her. "There's a girl in my class who does it. She said I should check it out, gave me the flyer."

"Yeah? Well, why don't you?" Bonnie reached for the paper and took it from Kayla's hesitant hand. She smoothed it out and put it down in front of her. "It's on Thursday nights, doesn't start until after we close, that gives you plenty of time…"

Kayla stared down at it, her brow furrowed. "Would you… Do you wanna try it out with me?" she asked hopefully, looking up at her, brows quirked. "You don't have to sign up. Maybe just go with me the first night. If you want…"

Bonnie looked at her and then down at the paper, before finally smiling. "You know what, yeah. That'd be a lot of fun. I haven't danced in a while and I was just telling Naomi that I need to find something fun to do. So, sure. I'll check it out with you."

Kayla grinned then. "That's… Yeah. Cool. Okay. So, we'll go Thursday. And… you can meet Lisa. She's the girl that gave me the flyer."

"Lisa, huh?" Bonnie smiled knowingly. "What's she like?"

Kayla groaned, dropping her eyes back to her homework. "Whatever. She's nice, okay?"

"Yeah? Is she smart…? Funny…?  _Pretty?_ " Bonnie nudged.

Flushed, Kayla rolled her eyes at her. "Quit fishing." She grabbed up her pencil then. "I have  _homework_ …"

With a laugh, Bonnie nodded. "Fine. Do your homework." She turned and walked away then, smiling to herself.

She hadn't planned to spend her Thursdays dancing, but it could be nice. She'd missed dancing since she gave it up, too busy with cheerleading. It could be good to get back to basics.

* * *

**…**

* * *

Damon took the bottle of water from Chris as he passed it to him before taking a seat on the stool beside him. "You know, I remember this being a lot less work the last time I fixed up a car," he admitted.

Chris shrugged. "Was your last one this bad?"

"Shhh!" Damon said, waving a hand at him before he glanced at the door leading from the garage into the house. "Don't let Bonnie hear you. I told her it was coming along. She's already nagged my ear off about buying this car in the first place."

"Did cost you a pretty penny," Chris noted, taking a pull from his water.

Damon winced. "It was a good deal."

"You didn't even bargain."

He rolled his eyes. "Fine. I was desperate. Is that what you want to hear? I'm used to having my own car. And Bonnie's car makes my soul hurt." His lip curled in a sneer. "Compact hybrid..."

Laughing under his breath, Chris shook his head. "At least it runs."

"Hey, the 'stang will run… Eventually…" He pursed his lips. "Just needs a little more TLC." He stood then, tossing a dirty rag over his shoulder as he walked to his car and bent over the engine. "And I am the  _king_ of tender loving care."

A snort from the doorway caught his attention then and he turned to see Bonnie leaning there, arms crossed over his chest. " _Well_ , King Damon, why don't you do your queen a favor and go pick up some milk." She tossed her keys to him, which he caught instinctively. "We're all out, which I didn't know because  _someone_ put the empty jug back into the fridge." She raised her eyebrow at him before turning on her heel to walk away.

"It was three in the morning, I was half asleep, don't give me that judgy face," he shouted after her.

"No excuse!" she called back.

Grumbling under his breath, he sighed, and then looked to Chris. "Coming or staying?"

He shrugged as he stood. "I need to pick up something for dinner anyway. Brandon's at his sister's and it's my night to cook."

Nodding, Damon walked off to the dreaded compact hybrid, offering a sarcastic smile to Bonnie, who waved at him from the kitchen window. He was half sure she did these things just to bug him. Just to show her, he was coming home with chocolate milk.  _In her face_.

* * *

**…**

* * *

More than a month had passed and Bonnie still hadn't told Damon about her grimoire. Five and a half weeks of lying to him, telling him she was going out with Naomi or Annette when really she was at home, or holed up in the back of her store, anywhere she could have privacy to try desperately to make her powers activate. She assured herself it was purely because she didn't want to get his hopes up, but that didn't stop the thick rope of guilt that wrapped itself around her each time she waited for him to go out so she could sneak it out of its hiding spot and spend some time examining it, pushing herself to use her latent powers. And they  _were_  latent. She refused to believe they were gone completely. She just needed a trigger; something that would spark them back to life.

She started with the candles, and then she tried floating feathers, but nothing worked. She read her grimoire from front to back, again and again. She looked for some sign, some  _reason_ that they were there, that she would have her grimoire and yet no way of using it, even a squiggle in the margins would do, but there was nothing. Not from her Grams, not from anyone. She was just a powerless witch with a powerful book, and the fear that her whole world could crumble around her at any second.

She wondered sometimes how he would react. If she told him she had the grimoire, would he be happy? Would he be eager to go home without a backwards glance? Could she even hold it against him if he was?

Some days, she wondered why she was trying so hard. Was it get home? To see Elena and Caroline? Was it because she knew that was what she  _should_ want, or because it was what she  _actually_ wanted? She couldn't lie to herself. Her life here was much easier than it had been. She had friends that never asked more of her than she was willing to give. She had her dance class on Thursdays, something she didn't even know she missed until she started doing it again. She had her routines with Damon, their mornings and his dinners and their date nights. She had her shop. Her  _amazing_ shop. And, more than anything, she had  _peace_. There was no abrupt, unnecessary death. No evil villain of the week. No  _only_ needing her for her powers.

Yes, there was a little bitterness there. Because damn it, she had a life too! She deserved to live her life. She was young, but some days she'd felt like she was eighty; old and drained. And she'd felt underappreciated; like, as much as her friends loved her, they needed her abilities more than they needed her. That wasn't the case here. Here, she had friends that loved her, that would never ask more of her than she was willing to give. But then, hadn't she always been willing to give everything Elena or Caroline or any of them asked for? Hadn't she  _willingly_  stepped into the line of fire, ready to die if that was what it took? Martyrdom did not feel as good as books made it out to be.

Still, as much as her life had been difficult, as much as her friends didn't always see what kind of toll their needs took on her, Bonnie still wanted to live. She wanted to go home and see them and have a chance at life again. She wanted to see the world; to travel outside of the narrow confines of Mystic Falls and Virginia. She wanted to fill her passport up with every amazing place she would visit and experience to the fullest.

She deserved that, didn't she?

She just had to wonder…

At what cost.

* * *

**…**

* * *

" _Catch!_ "

Bonnie looked up too slow and something slapped into her chest. "Ow! What the hell, Damon!"

His lips quirked.

Grabbing up the bottle he'd tossed, she raised an eyebrow. "Why,  _exactly_ , are you throwing lotion at me?"

"Your elbows are getting dry again. I know, 'cause you keep rubbing them," he said simply. "It's a thing you do."

"And this was your polite way of pointing that out?" she said, but still rolled her sleeves up and opened the bottle. "Should I thank you?"

He snorted. "Hey, you're the one that complains when they hurt. I'm just heading off a problem before it happens. Shouldn't you be praising my problem solving skills?"

"For pointing out my dry elbows? No, thank you." She squeezed out a dab of lotion in her palm and rubbed it into her elbow before doing it to the other side too. "Better?" she asked him, holding each elbow up for him to see.

He rolled his eyes, but crossed the room, and bent to press a kiss to each of her arms. "Yes.  _Much_ ," he said, before grabbing up the bottle and walking off down the hall.

Bonnie watched him go for a moment, her brow furrowed, wondering when it was he'd started picking up on things like that. He was a lot more observant than she came him credit for. Shaking her head, she turned her attention back to the magazine in her lap and flipped the page. Despite trying to focus, however, she couldn't quite get the smile turning up her lips to  _stop_.

* * *

**…**

* * *

"So? Do I get to come and watch sometime?" Damon asked, wiggling his eyebrows at her.

She looked over at him, her feet in his lap. "What, so you can ogle all the dancers? I'm not subjecting anyone to that."

He rolled his eyes. "Who cares about them? I want to see some Bonnie Bennett moves… Hips don't lie kind of stuff." He winked at her. "I'll bring the camera, you bring the noise."

She laughed, shaking her head at him. " _No_. No way."

He squeezed her ankle lightly. "Don't tell me you're embarrassed…" Looking up at her, he quirked his head curiously. "I've seen you cheer, Bon-Bon. I know what kind of rhythm's going on."

"Then you don't need a front row seat to my dance class," she dismissed him, turning her nose up in the air dramatically.

He smirked at her. "Need? No. Want?  _Yes_."

Bonnie scoffed at him. "Too bad. It's an all-girls' class. No boys."

He hummed, raising a brow at her. "Is that a challenge?"

" _Damon_ ," she said, half-laughing, half-warning.

He merely grinned at her.

One week later, Bonnie looked up, sweaty and flushed, finishing a particularly difficult move, and heard a sharp whistle, followed by clapping. When she looked over, Damon was grinning at her, wiggling his fingers in hello, their Polaroid camera held in one hand. Despite herself, a little part of her was actually happy he'd seen that. She was feeling pretty proud of that last move. If it meant listening to him recount the night and playfully dancing across the parking lot as he walked her to her car, she could handle it. Especially since she could tell the pride on his face was all for her, and it was completely genuine.

* * *

**…**

* * *

The lying was getting to her.

She wasn't used to keeping things from him. And the longer it went on, the more terrible she felt. But she couldn't stand it. She couldn't take it if she showed him the book and he got excited, only to find out she couldn't do it. She was useless. She couldn't have him throw it in her face, not like he used to.

So she kept it a secret and she kept trying. She tried until the frustration made her break down in tears, ready to tear her hair out. The hollow inside her, where her magic used to be, never felt so big before. And the worst part was, she wanted to tell him. She wanted to talk to him about how it hurt, how  _wrong_  it felt to be disconnected from her magic, but she couldn't. Not now, not with so much on the line.

She bit her tongue instead, and she kept pushing, harder and harder. And with each failure, she felt it like a wound to her spirit.

* * *

**…**

* * *

The first dizzy spell hit her at work. She was stocking the shelves and she stood up too fast; it hit her suddenly and her knees went weak. She fell, scrambling to grab one of the shelves as she went. She knocked over a whole line of vitamins and landed hard on her knees.

"Are you okay?" a worried Annette asked, coming to kneel beside her, a hand on her shoulder.

"I'm fine," Bonnie promised, but her head was still spinning and her eyes wouldn't quite focus. "Just stood up too fast. It's okay."

"Are you sure?"

Bonnie blinked her eyes; her vision cleared and her head stopped spinning. She smiled at Annette. "Really. I'm fine. I just had my head buried in boxes for too long and when I stood up, it threw my equilibrium off."

Annette hesitated, but eventually smiled. "Okay." She still put a hand at Bonnie's elbow and helped her stand, waiting to make sure Bonnie had her feet under her. When she could walk just fine and didn't have another dizzy spell all day, both she and Annette wrote it off as just one of those things.

* * *

**…**

* * *

"One of the guys I was working with today said his dog just had a litter… Puppies will be ready to go home in a couple months," Damon said from the bathroom, his words muffled as he brushed his teeth.

Bonnie rolled her eyes as she turned the bed down. "We're not getting a dog," she told him, exasperated.

The tap ran and the noise of his brush hitting the cup followed before he turned the light off and walked down the hall to meet her in their room. "Why not? You  _love_ dogs. Every time Naomi brings Rufus to visit the store, you gush about it at dinner. Can hardly get you to shut up."

"Yeah, I do, but if we got a dog now, it'd be home all day, with nobody to spend time with it." She pointed a finger at him. "Face it, the only reason you want a dog is because it'll annoy Gladys. That's not fair to the dog, or me, since I'll be the one cleaning up after it and trying to smooth things over with her every time she comes over to complain." She wrinkled her nose as she mimicked their neighbor, "'Your husband keeps banging the trash lid when he takes out the garbage. He has no regard for others.'"

"In her defense, I  _do_  bang the lids. Mostly because I know she's listening," he said, shrugging at her glare. "She's nosy. I wouldn't do it if she didn't make such a big deal about it."

"Damon, she's old. Old and lonely and probably has nothing better to do than see what other people are doing."

He scowled. "I bet the caretakers cheered when she died in some smelly elderly home."

" _Damon_ ," she chastised. "That's awful."

He shrugged. " _She's_ awful. You don't see her glaring at us? You don't even do anything wrong. She hates you on principle."

"What principle is that?" Bonnie wondered, a brow raised.

He pursed his lips. "Nothing. Never mind." He crawled into bed then and shoved his arm back over his pillow as he laid down, frowning up at the ceiling.

Bonnie followed after him, turning out the lamp beside her before she settled.

It was a few minutes of quiet before she said, "You don't have to protect me, you know."

He glanced at her out of the corner of his eyes. "What do you mean?"

With a sigh, Bonnie turned onto her side. "Damon, I know Gladys is racist. I know she doesn't like us because you're white and I'm black."

Shaking his head, he turned over to face her. "If you know then why do you keep telling me to be nicer?" he wondered.

"Because. You don't need to meet her on her level. She's a bitter old lady who has nothing in her life. Trust me, I'm a winner by default."

His brow furrowed.

"Damon, I grew up in Virginia, in a predominantly white town. I know racism; I've seen it every day. I did my best to fit in and fly under the radar because there's only so much you can do living in a city with too many ties to the wrong side of the civil war."

He was quiet for a moment before he told her, "I was a confederate soldier. Back in 1863…" He paused. "Not because I believed in it. I don't know if I even really cared. I was… young. And I grew up in a society that never really questioned those things. I was conscripted, and I went because my father demanded it. Said if I didn't go, I'd be shaming our family name…" He smiled sarcastically. "I was pretty good at that. Still am… I wasn't in the war long. Saw too much,  _did_ too much, and then I ran home, tail between my legs, and pretended like everything was fine… Wasn't too long later that I met Katherine and the rest is history." He shook his head, letting out a long sigh. "I'll never know what it feels like, not really. I'm white, I benefit, I know that. But that doesn't mean that I'm going to let her, I don't care how old she is, get away with acting like she's better than you." He reached for her, his hand resting atop her cheek, thumb stroking gently. "Even if all I get out of it is vaguely annoying her for the rest of her afterlife, I'll take it. Every chance I get."

She stared at him, mouth turned up faintly. "Why does the idea of you being a mild irritation to someone for eternity not surprise me at all?"

He grinned then. "I prefer to think of myself as a  _medium_ irritation. Over the years, I'll slowly increase. Subtly though."

She snorted, shaking her head. "Fine. But we're still not getting a dog."

He harrumphed, but then brightened up a little. "So, I've been talking to the guys about a garage band… What're your thoughts?"

Pushing his hand over her face, she turned over onto her back. " _Go to sleep_."

He chuckled under his breath, but got comfortable. "I didn't hear a 'no'…"

She purposely didn't answer, merely closing her eyes and trying to even out her breathing.

The following week, Damon grinned up at her from a keyboard he'd moved into the garage. "Did you know Danny could play the drums?"

She didn't, but she learned very quickly that Sundays were not a day she needed to be home. Leaving to meet up with Annette and Naomi, she happily waved at Gladys as she drove blissfully away from the noise.

* * *

**…**

* * *

The headaches started after a late night of attempted, and failed, spell casting. Damon was out with Danny and Chris, so she had much of the night to herself. When her head started throbbing, she knew it was time to put the book away and get some sleep. The headache persisted, however, into the next day. She was in the middle of her shower when she realized her nose was bleeding. It stopped shortly after, but the headache was one and off all day.

It happened again three days later.

She tried drinking more water, taking Tylenol, taking naps, but it persisted.

Her only option was to stop trying to use her magic, just until her body healed from the exertion. Just because she wasn't accomplishing anything didn't mean she wasn't trying too hard.

So she put her grimoire away for a week and a half; it took three days before her headache went away, but she took another week off and let herself recoup. On the eleventh day, she tried again.

* * *

**…**

* * *

Bonnie could eat every bite of ice cream in the tub currently in her lap. Damon didn't doubt that. That didn't mean he was going to let her get away without sharing.

"I thought half that tub was mine. You're putting a pretty good dent into it."

Bonnie frowned at him, licking her spoon clean. "You don't even like this kind."

"I like it just fine," he argued.

She rolled her eyes. "Damon, you hate walnuts. It's maple walnut ice cream. How do you think this is going to go?"

He shrugged, stubbornly. "I can eat around them."

She blinked at him. "No. There's a perfect ice cream to walnut ratio. If you eat too much ice cream and not enough walnut, then  _I_ get too much walnut."

He raised an eyebrow at her. "Then why did you get maple walnut? Huh, Bonnie? If you knew I didn't like walnuts…"

Scooping up a large bite, she stuck it in her mouth, and hummed happily.

He scowled at her. " _Rude_."

Rolling her eyes, she pointed at the fridge with her spoon. "There's mint chocolate chip. Just for you."

He smiled then, hopping off the couch.

"Baby," she muttered under her breath.

"I heard that. And now I'm not sharing  _any_  of mine with  _you_." He retrieved it from the fridge and rejoined her on the couch, landing hard just to jar her.

"Fine," she said, raising her nose in the air petulantly.

Reaching over, he knocked his spoon against hers in cheers and then dug into his ice cream.

Bonnie, her mouth full, looked over at him. "We should probably take up jogging…"

Damon sighed. "I miss my vampire metabolism."

She rolled her eyes. "All you ate was blood. What was there to work off?"

He shrugged. "Bourbon?"

With a snort, she reached over and stole a bite of his ice cream. "You look fine."

He fluttered his eyelashes at her as he smiled. "You really think so?"

With a laugh, she shook her head at him. "Shut up."

Damon reached over and stole a bite of hers in retaliation, but then paused, frowned, and spat out a walnut, his mouth screwed up in distaste.

Smirking, she sing-songed, "Told you so…"

He filled his mouth with mint chip to clean away the taste of disappointment.

* * *

**…**

* * *

One minute she was dancing, laughing, enjoying herself, and the next she was blinking her eyes open to see a sea of worried faces leaning over her as she lay sprawled on the dance studio floor.

She closed her eyes for a second and reached a hand up to her forehead. "I'm fine," she breathed out. "Really."

"Why don't we give her some space, everybody," the instructor said, ushering everybody away from her.

Kayla lingered, kneeling at her side, her mouth pinched. "You were out for a couple minutes," she told her.

"Felt like five seconds. I was just tired, Kayla. It's okay. I just need to drink more water."

Glancing away, Kayla said, "I called Damon on your phone. He's on his way."

Sighing, she shook her head, but stopped as it began to pound. "You didn't have to do that."

Chewing on her lip, she shrugged. "I was worried."

Turning a soft smile in Kayla's direction, Bonnie reached over and patted her hand. "Hey, look at me…"

Kayla hesitated, but eventually let her eyes meet Bonnie's.

"I'm going to be okay." She squeezed Kayla's hand tightly. "I promise."

"Bonnie?"

She looked up then, to find the instructor holding out her water bottle. "Here. Drink this."

"Thanks, Sara," she said, taking the bottle from her and tipping it back, guzzling half the bottle.

Kayla helped her move so her back was against the cool brick wall and took a seat next to her, fiddling with the laces on her shoes as they talked. Kayla filled her in about school, telling her that her grades were picking up and she had an English paper that was due in a couple weeks. "It's on someone that inspires you," she explained. "It can be anyone. Aaron Rook wants to write his on Britney Spears and Chelsea H. said she was writing hers on Michelle Obama." She shrugged. "I was thinking something more personal."

"Yeah? Who do you have in mind?" Bonnie wondered, reaching up to wind her ponytail into a bun to get her hair off her neck.

"Um, well, I had a few ideas, but I was thinking, if you have the time, maybe I could interview you." She squirmed where she sat, nervously keeping her eyes on her fingers, picking at her chipped nail polish. "You don't have to. But if you want to… I just thought, since you have your own store and you always give me good advice, and you help me… It's not a big deal or anything."

Staring at her, brows raised in surprise, Bonnie said, "I… That would be great. Yes. Sure. I'd love to!"

"Really?" Kayla glanced at her.

Bonnie smiled gently. "Of course. I'm honored!"

Offering a half grin, Kayla nodded. "Cool."

Before Bonnie could say anymore, the door to the studio flew open and a worried Damon hurried inside. His pale blue eyes darted around before finally falling on her, still sitting on the floor. He crossed the room and dropped into a crouch. "What the hell happened?"

Bonnie shook her head, taking his hand as it reached up to cup her cheek. "I just blacked out for a second. It was nothing. I was dehydrated and I guess I pushed myself too hard."

He pursed his lips, staring at her a long moment, and then he looked to Kayla. "Hey, Pipsqueak," he greeted.

She rolled her eyes. "She was out for a couple minutes, but she seems fine now. She's been drinking lots of water."

"What, are you pre-med now? Time really flies, huh?"

With a snort, Kayla pushed herself up. "You're welcome, for calling."

Mouth twitching, he looked up at her. "Thanks."

"I'll see you later, Bonnie. Hope you feel better," Kayla offered before wandering back to the group, bumping shoulders with her crush, Lisa.

Bonnie smiled after her and then turned her attention back to Damon. At his stiff expression, she tipped her head. "I know what you're going to say, I'm working too hard and stressing myself out, this was supposed to be something fun, not something that makes things worse. And I get it, I do. But it was a dumb mistake, okay?"

He hummed and then reached for her hands, pulling her up so she was standing. When she didn't immediately fall over or show any signs that she was still dizzy, he let his arms fall to his sides again. "You ready to go, Flashdance?"

Her lips quirked. "Sure." She turned, walking to where she'd left her bag.

Damon beat her do it, grabbing it up before she could and pulling it over his shoulder. He wrapped his arm around her waist then and pulled her into his side. "C'mon, let's get you home. We'll get take out and you can put your feet up."

Resting against him, she let her head fall to his shoulder. "Deal."

She waved to the others as they walked out and breathed in the cool night air as they left the building. Damon walked her to her car and settled her into the passenger seat before putting her bag in the back. He got into the driver's seat and then started for home, whistling along with the radio.

As much as she'd tried to play it off, there was a part of her that was worried. She didn't understand why she was so tired; she'd never been this exhausted before from spell-casting, so how could it be taking so much out of her and not producing anything? Chewing her lip, she wondered just how far it could really be pushed. What would the repercussions be if she didn't stop? But stopping wasn't an option. They needed to go home. The book wouldn't have shown up if it wasn't for exactly that reason. It was their only chance and she wouldn't waste it.

The car came to a pause at a red light and Bonnie was startled out of her thoughts as Damon wound his hand around hers, their fingers braided together. He didn't say anything, he didn't ask any more questions, he simply raised her hand up and pressed a kiss to the back. She turned to look at him, half-smiling at her even as the tension around his eyes told her he was still worried. She smiled, to put him at ease, and promised herself it would be worth it. He would get it when she finally got her powers back, when she got them home. He would understand.

* * *

**…**

* * *

"Which one's the wrench again?" she joked.

Damon raised an eyebrow back at her. "Ha.  _Ha_."

Bonnie grinned at him from where she was seated on a stool in the driveway. "Remind me again why I'm handing you tools?" she wondered. "What happened to Danny or Chris hanging out with you while you try to fix this hunk of junk up?"

"What, you don't want to hang out with me?" He pressed a hand to his heart, smudging grease on his white t-shirt. "I'm  _hurt_."

Bonnie rolled her eyes. "No… But car stuff is usually reserved for the ' _boys_.' Last time I tried to see how things were coming, you kicked me out and hung a 'No Bonnie's Allowed' sign on the garage door," she reminded.

"Where'd that sign  _go_ anyway?"

She scoffed. "Into the garbage, where it belongs."

His mouth twitched with amusement. Grabbing up a rag, he wiped his hands off as he told her, "Danny's going to see Carla's mom today, to ask her for her blessing about something…" He wiggled his eyebrows at her.

Bonnie lit up. "No way!"

He grinned crookedly. "Yeah, looks like all that baby talk's got the wheels turning, so Danny wants to do it the right way. Wedding first, babies second." He took a seat beside her and rested his arms on his knees.

"Good for them," she declared, nodding. "They're good together."

"Yeah, they're all right. Pretty sure Carla is way out of Danny's league, but that might just be because I have to put up with an overload of puns every day…" He snorted. "Can you imagine what his vows are gonna sound like?"

She laughed, shaking her head. "Well, they're be interesting." She eyed him curiously. "What about you? Are you going to be a groomsmen?"

" _I_ … am going to be his best man." He nodded, his chest puffed up a little with pride. "So you'll get to see me all decked out in a tuxedo. Bet you didn't think you'd see that again for a while."

"You  _do_ look good in a tux," she admitted, shrugging.

"I do," he agreed. "I might put the groom to shame."

Chuckling, she reached over and plucked up his beer from where it sat, sweating in the sun, and took a drag. "Save me a dance?"

"You kidding? You'll fill up most of my dance card… Well, when I'm not trying to take Naomi for a spin anyway."

Bonnie grinned. "Good luck. She hates dancing."

"I know." He winked at her. "That's why I do it."

Leaning over, she bumped his shoulder with hers. "Even if it's not real… Even if  _they're_ not real… It's good, right? We can be happy for them."

He looked over at her, searching her face, and then he nodded. "Yeah. We can." He slipped an arm around her shoulders. "Plus, there's cake, and I know how much you love cake."

Slapping his chest with the back of her hands, she snorted, but didn't argue. Instead, she let her head fall back against him, the sun warming her skin, and she thought about how nice it would be, to watch her two friends get married. Good for them. They deserved that happiness.

* * *

**…**

* * *

Bonnie woke up slowly, lethargic and confused. She was curled up on the couch, her head on her arm, a blanket tucked in around her. Blinking wildly, she looked around, her brow furrowed. "What…?"

"Hey, you're awake." Damon left the kitchen to join her.

Slowly pushing up from the couch, she looked around, her lips turned down in a frown. "Did I fall asleep?"

"You passed out on the couch before I left for work…" He stared at her worriedly. "I figured you just need a couple more hours, so I called the shop, asked Naomi to cover for you." He knelt down beside her, placing a mug of steaming tea on the coffee table, and pressed the back of his hand against her forehead and then her cheek. "You feeling all right? You've been pretty tired lately." He stared at her searchingly. "You got ten hours last night, but when I came home from work, you were right where I left you."

"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine. Just…" She shook her head. "It's probably a cold or something. I'll be fine."

She tried to sit up, and he reached forward to help her, getting her readjusted so she was sitting in the corner of the couch. He tucked a pillow in behind her and handed her the mug of tea before he took a seat on the table, watching her thoughtfully. She sipped at the tea and then held the mug in her lap, letting it warm her hands. In all honesty, she could fall right back asleep. She knew she wasn't taking care of herself, but juggling work, her dance class, and then sneaking around with the grimoire, putting all of her energy into trying to make something seemingly impossible happen was draining her. It looked like that peace she'd asked for on her birthday was all but gone.

"You'd tell me right… if something was wrong?" His question was quiet, hesitant, and completely unlike him. Not the concern, not the worry for her, she'd gotten used to that, but the look on his face, the uncertainty that things were all right… It broke her heart.

She could have lied. She could have told him it was just a cold, that he shouldn't worry, that everything would be fine in a few days. She just needed to try harder. Something would break. It had to. But seeing that look on his face, knowing how much he cared, even when he tried to pretend he didn't, it broke the dam.

"I found my grimoire." She blurted it out, a little louder than she meant to.

He stared at her. "Your…"

"My grimoire. It was in the book shelf. I found it and I… I've been trying to get my magic to work, but it won't." She rubbed a hand over her forehead in frustration. "I've tried everything. The simplest spells I can think of. But nothing happens. And I can feel it, I can feel that my magic isn't there. But I thought if I just  _tried_ … If I just kept pushing, eventually something would happen. The candles would light up or the feathers would float or something,  _anything_. But it never does. And I…"

Her mouth wobbled and her eyes burned. "I'm sorry. I'm  _so_ sorry I didn't tell you. I wanted to. I thought about it, so many times, I just… I didn't want to hurt you. I didn't want you to get your hopes up. Because I have no idea what it means. I don't know why it's here if I can't use it. So I can't… I  _can't_ get us home. Not yet. But I  _promise_ , I'll keep trying. It'll work, eventually, I know it will." She stared at him, searching out his eyes, but he'd dropped his gaze to her lap, his brow furrowed.

"Damon," she said quietly.

He didn't answer.

"Say something. Anything," she prompted. "At least look at me."

He swallowed tightly, and then asked, "How long?"

She stared at him, her teeth digging into her bottom lip.

He finally raised his eyes and met hers. "How long have you had it?"

"Four months."

He let out a breath, a humorless laugh, and then turned his eyes up. "Four months…"

She nodded slowly.

"Right." He ground his teeth then, and stood up.

She watched him, frowning. "Where are you going?"

"Out."

" _Damon_ …"

He didn't pause, grabbing his jacket off the rack and shoving his feet into his shoes.

"We should talk about this," she said, putting her tea down and standing from the couch. She swayed a little, her balance off, and caught herself on the arm of the couch.

He flinched, having already taken a step back in her direction, but stopped when she found her footing. "We had plenty of time to talk. Four months ago," he muttered, lifting his chin stubbornly before he turned back toward the door.

"You can't be serious," she said as he yanked the door open.

He walked out, and he didn't look back.

Bonnie watched him go, tears biting at her eyes.

She knew she'd screwed up, but she had no idea how to apologize.

* * *

**…**

* * *

It took her three days.

Three days of sleeping alone, of him not answering his phone, of him not showing up at the store to drive home with her. She hadn't seen him since he'd walked out the door and she could feel his absence like a lead weight on her chest. There was a hollowness to the house, an emptiness to eating each meal alone, something not quite right about crawling into bed without him beside her.

On the fourth day, she went to Danny's. She knew he wasn't at Chris and Brandon's, because she'd not so subtly asked when she'd seen Brandon at work. Awkwardly, he'd admitted Damon had stayed the first night, but he hadn't seen him since.

That left Danny.

Damon had other friends, but none were as close to him as Danny was. Sure, he said his puns were awful, but he loved the guy. He was goofy and lighthearted and exactly what Damon needed in his life. Of course, that didn't mean he couldn't have moved on and started staying in a motel somewhere. She was prepared and willing to go to every single one in town if necessary. She wasn't stopping until she found him and they talked this out.

When she showed up at the house, she knew he was inside. She could feel it in her bones. He was in there. Her knock was a little frantic, but her nerves were shot and she'd been practicing what she would say for days. She shifted her feet back and forth, standing on the porch, staring at the door, waiting impatiently for it to open. She could hear footsteps and raised her eyes to the peep hole.

There was a sigh and then, "Damon! It's for you!"

Bonnie breathed a little sigh of relief that they weren't completely shutting her out or making excuses or hiding him. What he would do when he talked to her was his business; she was just glad they weren't helping him in evading her, not exactly anyway.

There was low talking then that she couldn't quite make out, but she knew that voice, she knew the exact pitch of Damon's voice, she could recognize it anywhere.

"Damon," she said, her voice shaky. " _Please_. I just want to talk."

There was a pause then, and she stared at the door, her eyes already beginning to burn. Putting her hands on either side of it, she said, "I didn't do it to hurt you. I… I did it to  _help_ , I swear. I just…" She squeezed her eyes shut then and took a deep breath. "I found the grimoire and I thought if I could just get it to work, if I could get my powers back, then it would be easy. But nothing was working. I… I tried  _everything_ , I tried so hard, and nothing changed. I didn't want to tell you about it if it wouldn't work. I couldn't get your hopes up like that. I knew… as soon as you saw it, your first question would be 'how do we get home?' I needed to have the answer first. That's all!"

Her chest hurt then, like it was cracking under the pressure of not knowing what was going on in his head. "I know you're mad I lied to you, but it didn't start out that way. I thought it was a sign. I thought…  _I don't know!_ Maybe Grams sent it. I just… I thought, if it was there, that something was trying to tell me that I could do it. I could get my powers back. But I needed to focus, I needed to work on it like I did before. I—I couldn't handle it if I disappointed you. I couldn't handle being the person who gave you hope only to rip it away. I didn't want you to lose them all over again, because that's what it would feel like, being so close and not getting it."

She opened her eyes then, still staring at the closed door, and felt her heart drop into her stomach. She was losing him. She was going to lose him completely and the very thought tore her up.

And then the door swung open, and he was staring down at her, his jaw clenched. He looked at her searchingly, his brow knotted and his mouth set in a line.

Bonnie stepped back, watching him as he moved to join her, closing the door behind him.

Nothing was said for a moment, just a heavy tension radiating between them. She rocked on her heels and rubbed her hands together, so much hanging on the tip of her tongue that she wasn't sure where to start.

She parted her lips, a breath leaving her, and then she swallowed tightly. "I'm sorry."

He stared at her, his head tipped slightly. "For what?"

"For lying…" Her gaze dropped to the porch floor. "For not being strong enough."

He shook his head, his hands finding his hips, and he laughed, bitter and empty. "You don't get it."

She looked up, confused.

He stared at her. "You know I thought I'd changed. Thought  _we_ changed…" He waved a hand between them. "I thought, after four and a half years, we'd learned something, you know? That maybe, somehow, without really saying it, we just… figured it all out."

Bonnie wasn't sure what to say, she wasn't quite sure she understood what he meant.

"You think I'm pissed because you lied to me?"

"I…  _Yes_." She nodded, her brow furrowed in confusion now. "Because I did. I kept it from you. I could've told you. I  _should_ have told you."

"Yeah, you should have," he agreed, nodding. "As soon as it showed up, as soon as you had any idea what was going on, as soon as you started having headaches and nosebleeds and passing out. You should've  _talked_ to me." He balled his hand up into a fist when it shook. "More than that though, more than  _any_ of that, you should have  _stopped_."

She blinked at him, her mouth falling open. "What?"

"You, whatever you were doing, it was tearing you apart. You were pushing yourself to  _exhaustion_ , Bonnie. And when I asked, when  _anybody_  asked, you said you needed more sleep, you needed to drink more water, but you were handling it." He shook his head. "You know what I thought? For one stupid minute, despite everything, despite not knowing if it was even  _possible_ , I thought it was something like cancer. I thought something big, something we couldn't change, something  _I_ couldn't fight, was finally going to put big, bad, Bonnie Bennett down…"

He waved his arms out to his sides. "I thought I was  _losing_ you, and you were just too afraid to tell me. Too afraid to admit that something was really wrong. I thought you'd figure it out, you'd work up the courage, and you'd tell me, 'Hey, Damon, I'm really sorry… I— I don't know what happens after this, I don't know what it  _means_  if I die here, but that's what's happening. I'm  _dying_.' I was waiting for  _that_." He stared at her, his eyes swimming. "And instead I find out that it's  _you_. It's you playing martyr,  _again_. It's you sacrificing yourself for somebody else, for  _me_ , and for what?  _Why?_ Huh? You thought I'd be  _mad_  at you? That I'd tear you apart for not… not being  _strong_ enough?" He swallowed thickly then, dropping his head to look at the ground. "What the hell have we been doing?"

Her mouth fell open, a sharp pang hitting her chest. "Damon…"

"Four and a half years, and you still think I'd just throw you away, toss you in the trash, like you, your  _life_ , doesn't matter to me…?" His gaze bounced around, never quite landing on anything, and then he lifted his head and met her eyes once more. "I wanna go home, Bonnie. Some days, that's  _all_  I want. But if I leave here, it's going to be with you.  _Alive_. It's going to be me and you every step of the way, and if you think I'd let you  _die_ so I could go home, you're out of your damn mind."

He dragged a hand over his mouth then. "I've been here for three days trying to figure out what I did wrong. Because I must have. Somehow, something I did, got us here. All I know is that I fucked up. Whatever I did, whatever I  _didn't_ do, that makes you think that I'm still the same guy who wouldn't look twice at you if you were on fire. Whatever made you think you couldn't tell me what was going on, you couldn't trust me not to put it all on you to get us back, that'son me! I fucked up when I was alive, thinking exactly like that, and I fucked up now by not making it abundantly clear that I would do  _anything_ to keep you happy."

Sniffling, Bonnie reached up to swipe at her tears, watching him as he stared down at her, his expression a mixture of regret, anger, and sorrow.

"I've made a lot of mistakes in my life," he admitted, "some of them I can never apologize enough for, things I can't  _be_ forgiven for, and I can accept that. It's going to follow me for the rest of my life, however that's spent. But if it takes me every day of our afterlife to get it through your  _thick_  head, then I'll spend it showing you that you are  _not_ expendable. You're not someone I expect to lay down their life so I can go on with mine. And the sooner you figure that out, the better, because there is no option where I watch you kill yourself for me or anybody else. You want a broken body on the ground to walk over on the way out of wherever we are, then it's going to be mine and you'll be the one making it to freedom, not me. Because the opposite just isn't happening.  _Ever_."

Tears trickled down her cheeks as she stared up at him. "That's not what I want. I don't want to be the survivor to your sacrifice any more than you want to be mine."

"Then  _stop_." He crossed the space between them then and cupped her face, staring down at her seriously, his eyes wide and desperate. "Stop trying. Stop hurting yourself." He shook his head. "It's not worth it."

Her face crumbled, her shoulders slumped, and she breathed in a shaky breath. "What about home? Elena? Stefan? All of it?"

He rubbed his thumbs across her cheeks, brushing away her tears. Giving her a little shake with each word, he said, sincerely, "Not.  _Worth_. It." He raised an eyebrow then. "Okay?"

She nodded, her voice caught in her throat, making it burn with emotion.

Sliding a hand down from her cheek, he tucked it behind the nape of her neck and pulled her forward, wrapping his arm around her and holding her close in a hug. Bonnie gripped the front of his shirt, her face pressed to his chest, and let out a little shuddering breath. His hand rubbed up her back and over her shoulder, again and again, until she stopped shaking, stopped struggling, stopped crying. And then he dropped his head down, his lips brushing her ear as he said, "Let's go home."

Bonnie sniffled, her arm moving around his waist, and leaned into him as they walked down the porch chairs and across the yard to her waiting car.  _Home_  was a ten minute drive away, no magic necessary. For the first time, that felt real. It felt okay to let go of Before. This was now, this was where they were and  _who_ they were and if that meant no going back, she could accept that. Home was her and Damon, together, forever.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> well, that was the longest chapter so far. I considered leaving it at the part where Damon leaves, but this is actually a huge turning point, because after this is where their feelings start to play a much larger part. the next chapter is when romance starts to become more clear, that it's something they want with each other, and I wanted to kind of end this in a place where they've shared some hard truths.
> 
> Damon has made it clear here that he might want to go home, but he's grown as a person, he's not as selfish as he was and he doesn't put everybody else before his needs or his love for Elena. This is where he's made it clear that his priority is for Bonnie's health and happiness. there were a few different ways I thought about writing this, but I really felt it made sense for Bonnie to feel like she owed this to him and to fall into that old role of putting herself last and those she cares about (in this case, Damon) first. Which is why it's so important that he shake sense into her and tell her she can't do this, because it's a growing point for both of them. She learns that she does not need to do these things, that by asking that of her, him and everybody who's demanded those things from her, were in the wrong. He recognizes that now. And now Bonnie can see that's true, that she doesn't have to be the sacrificial lamb and she shouldn't have to apologize for it. At one point, she even tells herself this, that in her current life, she has people who don't ask more than she can give, and she loves that. But even while she acknowledges that, she still puts herself on the chopping block. Which is why having her fall apart and having Damon tell her it's not okay was big.
> 
> It's also a huge sentiment to their relationship with each other though. Damon is angry at her for lying, yes, but what he's really angry about is that over all that time, he didn't show her, or he didn't say it loudly enough, that she matters. Her life matters. He's more mad at himself than he is at her. They've become close, they trust and rely on each other, but she expected him to give all of that up and to demand that she get her magic together and take them home. in order to move forward, they took a giant leap back, realized their mistakes, acknowledged them, and learned from them. Suffice it to say, I'm really happy with that, so I hope you are too. And I'm hoping you're looking forward to the romantic turn of events coming in the next chapter.
> 
> Thank you all so, so much for reading! I'm truly flattered and encouraged by all of your reviews. I had a bit of writer's block, so it's really nice to see that everyone's still reading and enjoying. It makes it that much more enjoyable to write each chapter and get it out for you.
> 
> Please leave a review!
> 
> \- **Lee | Fina**


	6. hear, hear

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **faceclaim** : [C A S T](http://sarcasticfina.tumblr.com/eternity)

**VI.**

* * *

**FOUR AND 1/2 YEARS**

* * *

Damon had never been the type of guy who apologized. More often than not, he tried to sweep his mistakes under the carpet. Sometimes he put the blame on others, or compared his mistakes to someone worse so he didn't seem as bad in comparison. He was also pretty good at pretending that his mistakes didn't weigh on him. And, in all honesty, some of them didn't. He'd done awful, terrible things, things that would make people cringe away in fear, things that gave people reason to raise a cross in his direction before begging God to have mercy on them and protect them from this devil. He'd killed, often without mercy, without regret, and there were some sins, some deaths, he didn't care to clean from his soul. Anyone who threatened him, who threatened those he cared about, he couldn't care less about taking their lives and spitting on their graves. Maybe it came with being alive for so long, his disregard for human life. Or maybe it was just a mental acceptance of survival of the fittest. He was the predator and all who stood in his path became the prey. If they died, he won. Simple as that.

But there were some things, some people, he regretted.

Hurting Bonnie was among those. Realizing that in all the time they'd been together, she still expected him to go back to who he was, to forget all about her and who they were to each other in favor of getting home, that weighed on him. It kept him up at night, staring at the ceiling while she slept peacefully beside him.

It felt good, having her there again. The days he spent sleeping on Chris' couch and in Danny's guest room had felt off. He'd missed her. Missed her nightly routine and the weight of her body beside him. He missed her scent, mixing with the faint aroma of laundry detergent. He missed her sleep talking, mostly nonsense, and how she always kept one tiny foot outside of the blanket.

That time away had given him time to think about the mistakes he'd made. Not only in the time they spent together, but in the time before that, when he'd first come to Mystic Falls. He was more than a little ruthless, and equally theatrical, he knew that. She had every reason to hate him then. He'd done nothing but use her, demand her attention and her magic whenever he pleased, pointing her in the direction of whoever stood in their way, expecting her to perform like a puppet on strings he was the master of. Some of him regretted that, more because of how much he cared now than he had then. He didn't want to think he was a different person then, but parts of him were. He'd grown a lot, or so he liked to believe. He wasn't so cruel now, so eager to sacrifice others in favor of himself. But, if it came to it, if killing somebody else meant someone he loved survived, he would still do it. It was how he was made. It was written in his bones.

That didn't change the fact that Bonnie saw herself as the person he would sacrifice.

He turned onto his side, admiring her in the faint shaft of moonlight that spilled over her profile. She had a hand tucked under her cheek as she lay on her side, facing him, her eyes closed, lashes fanned out atop her cheeks. Shadows danced in the hollows her eyes and her cheeks and sculpted itself around her mouth, the corners perpetually upturned. He reached for her, the tip of his forefinger gently tracing the slope of her nose before moving to the curve of her cheek.

He wondered when it was she believed she could trust him. When she decided he was more friend than foe. He wondered how deeply it ran, because his trust in her, it was a part of him now. He wouldn't be up for any awards for being a good person any time soon, but he was loyal. When he loved, it was with all of himself, on a scale rarely seen. And he loved Bonnie. He knew that. He  _thought_ she knew that. But he'd screwed up somewhere, he'd let it go unsaid or unseen or  _something_. The only thing he knew for sure was that she was willing to exhaust herself, to push herself past her limits, to get her magic back and send them home. And part of that was motivated by the idea that he would want it so desperately that he wouldn't even care if she died making it happen.

His heart twisted up in his chest, brow furrowed.

That wasn't an option. Losing her… in any capacity, was not on the agenda.

He would burn her grimoire to dust before he let that happen. Let her hate him then, she would get over it, they would have eternity for him to get back into her good graces. But at least that way they would  _have_ that time together. Maybe that was selfish. He wasn't perfect, not by a longshot. But if it meant keeping Bonnie in his life, he would do just about anything.

Scratch that.

He  _would_ do anything.

No 'just about' to speak of.

Now he just needed to show  _her_ that.

* * *

**…**

* * *

Bonnie was feeling better than she had in months. The last two weeks had been the most relaxed she could ever remember her life being. After her fight with Damon, she was realizing more than a few things. She had been pushing herself too hard, in all aspects of her life, not just with her magic but with work too. She'd promised herself she would slow down, take some time for herself, more than once, but now she was actually doing it. She asked Annette if she wanted a few more shifts each week and talked to Naomi about taking over the running of the shop rather than Bonnie being there to call all of the shots. She was still there each day, but she took her mornings off, coming in for afternoon shifts. She was still getting up in the morning with Damon, sharing breakfast with him and checking over her inventory, but she'd started doing yoga and meditation, taking some time to really find the peace she'd wished for on her birthday.

"You always been this bendy?" Damon wondered.

Bonnie turned her head, sweat dotting her skin and her chest a little tight with the yoga position she was keeping. "I  _was_ a cheerleader," she reminded him.

His brows hiked. "Oh, I remember." He grinned at her, stepping out onto the porch, a mug of coffee in hand. He took a seat on the porch stairs, balancing his cup on his knee, and waved at her. "Please. Continue. I was enjoying the show."

Bonnie rolled her eyes, but didn't let his presence stop her, instead unfolding herself and moving into another pose. "Don't you have work this morning?" she wondered.

"Danny's running late, said he won't be here for another hour." He shrugged, his eyes moving down her body thoughtfully. "You know, you keep this up, I'm going to start feeling out of shape."

"You can always join," she told him.

He hummed. "Pretty sure I like it better from over here."

She shook her head. "I know you wake up early to go jogging in the mornings, and you keep active with work… Maybe in a few years, when your metabolism starts slowing down, we'll look at other options."

He half-grinned. "Are you suggesting I might not keep my god-like physique, Bon-Bon?"

"All that pasta has to catch up sometime," she mused.

"There're always more interesting ways to work off calories than exercising." He wiggled his eyebrows at her.

Bonnie let out a huff of a laugh.

"Hey, what are you doing Friday?" he wondered.

She hummed, giving her schedule a mental look over. "I'm closing up. Naomi's got a school play to go to. Why?"

"We should go dancing."

Her brow wrinkled. "I thought our date night fund was running low. We emptied out most of it on dinner last week, even if you did complain that steak was too small for how much they charged us."

"That steak was a joke" he scoffed. "Which reminds me, Danny's having a barbecue next weekend, he wants us to bring that casserole you made last time. He started drooling when he was talking about it."

She grinned. "Done."

"And as for date night…" He shrugged. "I'll take it out of my car fund."

She looked back at him, surprised. "Are you sure? I thought you were saving up for a part."

"I am. But it can wait." He pushed up off the stairs then and walked toward her. For a moment, she found herself distracted by the unnaturally graceful way he moved. He wasn't the predator he used to be, but she could still see it in his body, the confidence in his walk that was always present.

Bonnie pushed herself up so they were face to face, him in the grass while she stood in the middle of her yoga mat.

He reached for her, the tip of his finger stroking over the curve of her cheek, tucking a sweaty strand of hair back, behind her. "You, me, a good tango…" He stared down at her searchingly, his eyes seeming a little brighter than usual. "Just what I need in my life."

She gazed back at him and felt a weird thud in her chest as her heart seemed to speed up. She shook the feeling off and smiled. "Well, when you put it that way, how can I refuse?"

"Good." He tapped her nose lightly. "Wasn't going to take no for an answer."

Rolling her eyes, she hopped off her mat and onto the grass, bending down to roll her mat up and tuck it under her arm. "C'mon, now that I'm not moving, it's a little chilly out here." Reaching over, she stole his coffee and sipped at it, climbing the stairs of their porch.

Damon followed, half-smiling down at her. He took his mug as she passed it over her shoulder, frowning as he found it near empty.

She laughed knowingly, grinning back at him. "If you've got an hour, then we can spend it reading. I'll get the coffee, you get the book."

"Deal." He popped a kiss to her cheek right before they split ways, him toward the book shelf and her toward the kitchen.

* * *

**…**

* * *

Bonnie grinned, more in answer to Kayla's wistful smile than anything else. Her youngest employee was on cloud nine, humming under her breath and occasionally twirling around as she moved up and down aisles, checking stock.

"So? Are congratulations in order?" Bonnie wondered finally.

Looking up from where she sat cross-legged on the floor, checking labels on a new batch of holistic ointment for aches and pains, Kayla raised an eyebrow. "Congratulations for what?"

"Well, the last time I saw you smiling this much it was after Lisa asked you to teach her some of your dance moves…" She wiggled her eyebrows. "So, did you get up the nerve to ask her out or what?"

"No. Just… thinking about her, I guess."

Nodding understanding, Bonnie asked, "Do you think you're going to?"

Biting her lip, Kayla shrugged. "I don't know… Should I?" She sighed, her shoulders slumping. "Lisa's a grade under me. I'm graduating next month and she'll still be in high school."

Bonnie bent down then to help her with the labels. "What are you really worried about?"

It took Kayla a minute, chewing on her lip, before she admitted, "Everything… That Lisa doesn't like me like that. That I'm going to be done school and I have  _no idea_ what I'm going to do after. My dad said after this summer I'll have to start paying rent, so now I'm worried about money too. It's just… Ugh. Why does everything have to be so hard? Why… Why can't the girl I like like me back and my life just fall into place like I want it to?" Groaning, she dropped her chin to her hand, her elbow balanced on her knee and her chin in her palm. "Life sucks."

"Life doesn't suck." Bonnie smiled at her lightly. "Life is just…  _life_. The girl you like might like you, or she might not. It's not the end of the world if she doesn't. There will be other girls. You're young, she's young, and there's a lot of life still left to live. Maybe you fall in love with each other, maybe you don't." She shrugged. "As for what you're going to do, try to remember that you don't have to figure out your whole life just this second. You've got options, and you've got time, so try a few different things, figure out what works for you… More importantly,  _enjoy_ yourself."

"You make it sound easy," Kayla sighed. "I'm not dumb, I know me and Lisa might not be some big epic love. But… I like her. I  _really_ like her. And I want her to like me too."

"So ask her, get coffee, see a movie, invite her out and see what she says."

"You think she'd say yes?" she worried, tying a lock of her hair around her finger.

"You never know until you ask." Bonnie leaned over and bumped Kayla's shoulder with her own. "One step at a time, right? The rest of your life can wait. But your Friday night is open."

Grinning, Kayla let out a laugh. "Yeah. You're right."

"I usually am," she boasted lightheartedly.

Pushing up from the floor, Bonnie returned to the front table, leaving Kayla to decide how she was going to ask her crush out.

* * *

**…**

* * *

Damon reached for her hand as they started down the main strip.

"Remind me again why we're doing this?" Bonnie asked, folding her fingers between his.

He swung their hands between them in a rather exaggerated fashion. "Because. The town's kind of nice at night."

"It's a lot less creepy than Mystic Falls," she agreed. "Although, I think it only got that reputation after a certain vampire set up home there and the rest of the supernatural world followed…"

He hummed, giving her a little twirl and pulling her into his side. "My brother has that affect. You wouldn't think it by looking at him, but he's much creepier than his face would lead you to believe."

Bonnie laughed, her head falling back to his shoulder. "I don't think Stefan gives off a creepy vibe. Serious and a little dry, but not creepy."

"I don't know, there's something  _definitely_  freaky about him when he has no humanity."

"That's different," she argued, bumping his hip with hers. "There's something  _missing_ then. Makes you a weird husk of what you really are."

"For someone who's never been a vampire, you've got some pretty set ideas about things…" he mused, looking down at her. "What else do you think?"

"The blood drinking is gross," she said simply. "Just all around, but especially when it's a human drinking it to heal themselves. I mean, I get why you guys drink it, it's your food source, but still…" She wrinkled her nose up. " _Gross_."

"You say that because you've never had a good experience with it," he told her, stepping them off the curb of the sidewalk and into the street.

It was late enough that there was no traffic coming or going, everybody peacefully tucked away in their beds. If he listened hard enough, he was sure he could hear the noise of a teenager on his skateboard or the odd car, but the town was mostly at rest. They walked down the center of the road, street lamps lighting their way. There was a faint chill to the air, enough that Bonnie had put on a warm coat and he'd donned his leather jacket.

Bonnie's arm came around his waist, hand splayed over his side. Sometimes, he noticed, she would tuck it into the pocket of his jacket to warm her fingers. "Having somebody try to rip my throat out wasn't the best experience, true," she agreed snarkily.

"Right, but it  _could_ be good, under the right circumstances."

"Should I even ask?"

He smirked down at her. " _Naked_ circumstances," he clarified, amused.

Bonnie rolled her eyes. "See, I knew that was what you meant."

"I'm just saying…" He shrugged. "With the right partner, at the right  _time_ , having someone bite you can be more than a little pleasurable."

"Somehow I don't think blood play is ever going to factor into my love life," she said, shaking her head.

"Well, not  _now_ … Not unless this town has a secret I haven't found out. Unlikely though, because I have the dirt on everybody around here…"

Looking up at him, she bit her lip. "It's cute, you know, how much you  _gossip_."

"I do not  _gossip_ ," he declared, raising his nose in the air. "I just… collect information."

"Uh-huh," she said skeptically.

"Valuable information."

"Damon, last night you spent an hour telling me about the affair one of the guys at the hardware store was having with one of the florists at Rae-Anne's Floral Boutique."

" _Because_! Randy is one of the assholes that calls Chris and Brandon names when he sees them in public. And now it's getting around that he's cheating on his wife with Tony Casey, who's definitely too good for him, but whatever. The point is, Randy's a dick, who apparently  _likes_  dick."

"And that's his business."

His brows hiked. "Hey, I'm not screaming it from the rooftops, I'm just aware, and slowly waiting for his inevitable downfall."

"Shouldn't you be supporting him? Your best friend is gay."

"My best friend is gay, yes, but more importantly, he's not a raging asshole. Unlike Randy, who is, and who apparently—"

"Don't make that joke," she warned.

"Fine. But we both know where it was headed." His eyes lit up.

"Don't make that joke either."

Pouting his lips down at her, he complained, "You never let me make puns."

"I think Danny's rubbing off on you too much." She raised her finger just as he inhaled deeply, " _Don't_  say it."

Dropping his head back with a dramatic groan, he said, "That was a good one."

"Mm-hmm." She squeezed his side. "New topic. Where is a convenience store around here that's open 24/7…? I want ice cream."

"We have ice cream at home.  _Plus_ …" He paused in the middle of the street and dug her hand out from his pocket, bringing it forward. "You're cold."

She shrugged. "I want a specific ice cream, in sandwich form… And I'm not  _that_ cold."

"Your fingers are like ice." He cupped his hands around hers and lifted them to his mouth, blowing hot air on them before he rubbed his hands over hers to get the circulation moving again.

"See, now I'm all toasty, which means I'm ready for an ice cream sandwich," she declared cheerfully.

Rolling his eyes down at her, he nodded. "Fine. But we've coming out here again tomorrow, and we're making Sheila's hot chocolate too."

Bonnie grinned. "Agreed."

Slinging his arm around her again, he tucked her against him and, together, they made their way over to the sidewalk while he figured out the best way to get to a nearby store.

As they walked, he said, "You know who else is having an affair?"

He pretended not to hear her as she muttered 'Gossip' under her breath.

* * *

**…**

* * *

"Are you sure you don't mind?" Bonnie asked, again.

Naomi rolled her eyes. "Of course. Listen, the whole point of you taking this time off is because you were pushing yourself too hard. I told you then, and I'll tell you now, any time I can help take the burden off your shoulders, honey, I'm there." Naomi reached for her then, taking both of her hands and squeezing. "This is good for you. You wanted to spend more time on yourself and now you're doing exactly that."

"I just don't want you to feel like I'm not grateful. And I really don't want to put too much on you. You've got kids at home, I don't want to take you away from them."

"Hey, my kids are fine," Naomi promised. "They love the after-school program they're in. By the time I lock up shop and pick them up, they're tuckered out  _just_ enough. And this overtime is helping me with the bills. I was doing okay before, but having a little extra in my pocket never hurts."

"You deserve it," Bonnie told her, smiling warmly.

"So do you," Naomi encouraged. "Besides, you're covering for me on Monday, which means I get to go on my  _date_."

Bonnie beamed then. "How  _is_  Carissa?"

"Still too pretty for words and smarter than I could ever  _dream_ of. She's writing a book, did I tell you?"

"Only three or four times," Bonnie teased.

Naomi waved a dismissive hand. "Whatever. Carissa's the first good relationship I've had in years. Do you know how hard it is to find someone that hits all your buttons? And I don't just mean in the bedroom; that's nothing compared to trying to have dinner with someone and not fall into those awkward silences."

"I know, I get it. And I'm happy for you. Carissa's amazing. And she's clearly head over heels for you."

"Let's hope so. I'd hate to be the only one getting too invested in this." Shaking her head, she said, "Anyway, enough about that. How excited are you for this art exhibit?"

"On a scale of one to ten, I'm somewhere around a twelve." Bonnie smiled brightly. "I love art, and we're not exactly flooded with it out here. It'll be nice to see something new."

"The artist is local, isn't she?"

Bonnie nodded. "Yeah, I've seen her selling things at the market each summer. She's great. I'm glad she's finally getting recognition."

"You should see if you can't get something going, talk to the town council, see if we can put together an art festival or something. Local artists can come out, put everything on display, and the town gets to see what everyone has to offer."

Briefly, Bonnie couldn't help but think of Caroline, of how she grabbed on to every chance to be on a committee. A wistful, nostalgic smile pulled at her mouth. "Maybe I will," she said thoughtfully.

"Just don't take the details onto yourself. Put the idea out there, doesn't mean you have to make it happen," Naomi warned.

With a laugh, she assured, "I won't. But it can't hurt to plant a few seeds, see if somebody else might get excited."

"Good." Naomi quirked her head. "Is Kayla going to the exhibit tonight too? I thought I heard her mention it last week."

Bonnie nodded. "She is. She and Lisa are going for their first date. Well, it's a school project slash date, I think. They're supposed to write a poem on one of the pieces and bring it into English class on Monday."

"Speaking of, how'd her report go on you?" Naomi wondered, leaning back against the counter.

"Really good. I was flattered she wanted to write it on me." She fiddled with some of the merchandise on the counter, making sure it was displayed properly. "We got lunch and she asked her questions. It's funny, I never thought I'd be on the other side of those things, the one answering questions on how I accomplished something."

"You've made a good life for yourself. It's something people want to aspire to. But it's also who you are, Bon." Naomi half-smiled at her. "You might not see it, but you're a special kind of person."

Wrinkling her nose humbly, she shook her head. "Not that special."

Naomi shook her head. "Fine, play blind, but the rest of us see you just fine."

Flushing a little at the compliment, Bonnie clucked her tongue.

The bell above the door rang then, drawing her attention as a customer stepped in. Bonnie breathed a little easier; she'd never been good at accepting praise. It wasn't so much she thought she was undeserving, she just wasn't used to getting it, and always felt awkward when it was piled on. But Naomi was just being kind, telling her the same kinds of things Caroline and Elena had tried to get across to her. Maybe one day it would sink in.

* * *

**…**

* * *

"What if I jumped the gun?" Danny wondered, pacing from one end of the garage to the other.

"You didn't," Damon dismissed.

Danny shook his head. "We haven't been together that long."

"Five years is a while," he corrected.

"You and Bonnie have been together longer. What? Six and a half, just about seven. You're not married."

Damon's grip loosened on the wrench and he scraped his knuckles over the engine of his car. "Me and Bonnie are different," he said, leaning up out of the car, grabbing a rag to wipe at his hands.

"Yeah, 'cause Bonnie never pressures you to get married," he snorted. "You're lucky."

Raising an eyebrow, Damon reminded him, "You're the one that brought up marriage. Carla brought up babies.  _Totally_ different."

"Bonnie didn't bring up either. What's with that?"

He sighed. "This isn't about me and Bonnie. It's about you. Besides, if you want relationship advice, you should ask Chris; him and Brandon have the healthiest relationship I've ever seen. It's disgusting how healthy they are."

"Chris is busy, so you're my best option right now," Danny said dismissively. "Look, you and Bonnie are going strong, right?"

He nodded. "Strong as ever."

"And you plan on sticking around, right? I mean…" He glanced at the door leading into the house, even though Bonnie was out for lunch with Naomi. "You're in it for the long haul."

Damon blinked at him. "Oh. Yeah, no. She's stuck with me for life," he said simply, shrugging.

"Right. So… When did you know?" he asked seriously, looking at him with wide eyes. "When'd you look at her and know she was  _it_?"

Damon's eyes narrowed. "What are you asking me, exactly?"

"There had to be other girlfriends, right? Before Bonnie?"

Damon nodded slowly.

"So how'd you know she was different? That she was gonna be the one you stuck with?"

He pursed his lips, dropping his gaze down to his hands, still dark with grease. It wasn't like in the last few years he hadn't thought about it. The chances of him going home were slim to none, so he had to wonder about his future. Bonnie had told him, more than once, he could always walk away, try making a real life, meet someone, fall in love, the whole shebang, and she wouldn't hold it against him. But the idea of leaving Bonnie always stopped him.

He looked at Danny and said, "First girl I fell in love with, Katherine Pierce… Girl  _epitomized_  seduction. She was gorgeous, free spirit, hated following rules, and I… I was a rebel. Always did the opposite of what I should. I fell hard and quick, figured she was it, she was everything. We'd run off, rule the world, never look back… Turns out, she never loved me. She was, however, in love with my brother."

Danny winced sympathetically.

"Yeah, not the best relationship. But, even better, the  _second_ girl I fell in love with… Drum roll please…" He shook his head. "My brother's girlfriend. Not the same one, mind you."

"Same brother?"

"Same brother, different girl. Though,  _remarkably_ similar in looks," he mused, smirking to himself. "Elena Gilbert. Sweet, caring, down to earth, always trying to find the best in me…" He nodded. "And she did, kind of, for a while. I had a habit of trying to remind her of the worst of me, probably because I was waiting for the other shoe to drop and for her to leave me in the dust… It was a complicated relationship from the start. She was still in love with my brother for a while, I kind of stole her from him, and then things were just up and down. Always wondering if she'd change her mind, go back to him, or if one day she'd wake up, realize I was never who she wanted to be with…" His jaw ticked, eyes narrowed thoughtfully. "But I still figured I hit the jackpot with her. All the good things I  _wanted_ to see in Katherine, I  _did_ see in Elena."

"So what happened?" Danny wondered.

"Ah, well… She died." Fine, so he died, but same difference. "Yeah, it was… a car crash. Drove right through a restaurant we used to frequent. Place blew up. It was pretty crazy."

"Wow." Danny's eyes widened, brows hiked. "So how'd you meet Bonnie?"

His mouth turned up then. "I'd known Bonnie for a while. She was one of Elena's best friends. They grew up together. We, uh, we just kind of gravitated to each other after everything went down… Leaned on each other, I guess. It was kind of like we were the only two people in the world. And things just kind of… grew from there."

Nodding thoughtfully, Danny said, "So what made you fall for her?"

Licking his lips, he let out a faint laugh. "What's not to love about her? She's fierce, smart, beautiful, the most stubborn person I've ever met… She's loyal and funny and she never lets me get away with anything. Which, usually annoying but… Just part of her charm." He blinked a few times, smiling to himself. "You know, when I met Bonnie, she hated me. Good reason too, wasn't the best guy then. Still kind of reeling after Katherine and I took it out on everyone around me… But she came through for me a lot, got me out of a lot of scrapes. Could even say she saved my life a time or two… Still didn't  _like_  me, but, she always came through. Dependable, that's Bonnie. Dependable and… self-righteous and judgmental and sacrificial and loving and…" He let out a heavy breath. "Irreplaceable."

"Wow." Danny grinned then. "And I thought  _I_  was whipped."

With a snort, Damon rolled his eyes, pushing off his car. "The  _point_ is… Bonnie was everything I wanted, and never knew I wanted, in my life. She's not perfect, she talks in her sleep and she hates admitting she's wrong and she gives me the silent treatment when I bug her too much. Which, now that I think about it, you think I'd appreciate, because naggy-Bonnie is no fun. But… I don't know. I start to miss her voice after a while." He hummed. "Anyway, she's the only person I can see myself bugging for the rest of my life. Even when we're eighty and she keeps trying to roll her wheel chair away from mine, I'm gonna be right there, rolling after her…" He grinned. "What about you? Where's Carla going to be?"

Leaning back against the tool bench, Danny let out a laugh. "Surrounded by our grandkids, probably."

Nodding, Damon said, "Yeah. I can see that."

A few beats passed before Danny asked, "Beer?"

Damon nodded as he turned back to focus on his car. The discussion was officially closed, but that didn't leave a few things lingering in Damon's head, like how he could see that image of him and Bonnie, old and wrinkled, wheel chair bound and bickering for the rest of their days. He smiled at the thought. That worked just fine for him.

* * *

**…**

* * *

The dance club was busy; a lot of the town, young and old, came out to indulge. It was 90's night and Damon was in his prime, jumping around, his nostalgia on overload. Bonnie knew most of the songs from her childhood, and was happy to shout the lyrics as she danced. The energy flowed through them, rattling their bones, adrenaline flowing and sweat collecting.

Bonnie was laughing, her head tipped back. The music was so loud, she couldn't hear herself thinking, which was exactly how she liked it. The best part of dancing was losing herself. She caught Damon's fingers, always reaching for and finding her, and let him twirl her around, under his arm and around his body before she was back in front of him. His hands were on her hips, twisting her side to side, before reaching up, fingers crawling up her back. He dipped her low, her leg kicking up for balance. When she came back up, she was smiling, resting against his front, her heart beating hard in her chest.

Damon grinned down at her, his hair wild and his eyes bright. His shirt was unbuttoned at the top, sleeves rolled up, and he was just as lost to the music as she was. Her arms reached up, hands curled around his shoulders, while they swayed, coming down a little even as the beat raged on, the tempo quick.

Her sweat damp cheek fell to his chest, her eyes at half-mast. They moved around in a circle, one of his palms making soothing circles over the small of her back. His chin landed atop her head and they let the world fade from around them, the music nothing but a dull roar. There was only them, their feet moving together just an inch at a time, their heartbeats falling in sync, and every part of them pressed together.

Eventually, when the energy dipped low enough, they would separate, shake it off and get back to dancing, but for now, they held on to each other, and found a moment of peace.

* * *

**…**

* * *

"Annie?" Bonnie called, lifting a top up in askance. "What about this color?"

Annette looked over from where she stood in front of a mirror, checking out her latest outfit. She squinted in Bonnie's direction, tipped her head, and then nodded. "It's good. It'll bring out your eyes."

"Not for me. For you," Bonnie corrected. "We're shopping for you, remember? I have more than enough clothes at home. Seriously, my closet is bursting."

"Walk-in or no?"

"No." Bonnie shook her head, fingering through a few more tops, discarding three before pausing on a fourth. "If it was, it'd probably enable me even more. Anyway, you're the one who wanted shopping therapy. What's up?"

"Nothing. I just… I don't know. Sometimes I need a break from being a mom and a wife." Her voice became muffled as she moved back into the dressing room, exchanging her current outfit for a nice sun dress. "Don't get me wrong… I love my family. I just need some time off sometimes. A reboot. You know?"

"Sure." Bonnie took her armful of clothes with her and made her way over to the dressing room. "If you ever need a day off, just let me know. We can invite Naomi out next time too, maybe even Carla if she's up for it. Make a ladies night. We haven't had one in a while." Her eyes lit up. "We should make dinner, watch movies, give each other facials. Since I'm the only one without kids, we can do it at my place."

Coming out of the dressing room, Annette grinned at her. "I'd love that."

"Great." Bonnie gave her a look over then and nodded. "This one's going in the Must Buy pile."

Annette smoothed her hands down the dress and moved to the mirror, nodding happily. "Agreed." Giving a little twirl, she made her way back to the dressing room. She grabbed a few tops from Bonnie, but held up the one she'd showed off earlier. "Do me a favor and try this one though. I wasn't kidding. It'll really bring out your eyes."

Bonnie took it and shrugged. "Fine. But I'm adding you to my enabler's list."

Laughing, Annette disappeared behind the curtain. "I can live with that."

* * *

**…**

* * *

"What about this one?" Bonnie asked, holding up a book for him to see.

Damon muttered, "Hold on," before giving his sauce a stir and putting the lid back on. He peered over at her, standing on a small step-ladder, barefoot and in her favorite ratty pajama pants. She held a book in her hand, the title of which was hidden, but the general color and width of it familiar. "No, we're keeping that one, I like it."

Exasperated, she sighed at him, putting it back on the shelf. "So far you've donated exactly two books, Damon. It's a book drive, the point is to make sure other people get to enjoy them too."

"Well, they can enjoy something else. I can't help it if our collection is perfect," he defended, shrugging as he wiped his hands down on a dish towel and walked into the living room to join her.

"There has to be something we can get rid of… Something you don't like…" She perused the shelves, her brow furrowed thoughtfully. "You know, the more we get rid of, the more space we make to buy more."

"We already got rid of two. That means we can pick up  _two_ more."

She rolled her eyes. "Both of those books were gifts. Peter got us one last year for Christmas, and Naomi got the other."

"Yes, I don't know how I'll survive without 'How to Know When a Women Isn't Interested in You.'"

Her lips quirked up in amusement. "Naomi knows her audience… It was a gag gift. Your own fault for hitting on her all the time."

"I do it out of love," he said, leaning against her side, his head resting near her shoulder. The added height advantage of the step ladder didn't make her all that taller than him, but it was enough. "Love for how exasperated she gets. Now that I think about it, it's probably because it's how you used to look at me."

Bonnie snorted. "I  _still_ look exasperated with you."

"Yes, but  _you_  willnever get rid of me. So it's like a free pass to annoy you." He reached an arm around her, his hand on her hip, and turned her a little. "Grab that yellow one… No, two over… Other direction."

"That's not yellow, that's green," she told him, grabbing it down.

"Looks like pea soup," he pointed out, "which is  _yellow_."

"It's a  _greenish_  yellow."

Sighing, he said, "Hand it here."

"Why? Is it going in the box?"

"No. Absolutely not. Are you kidding?" He took the book from her hand and waved it at her. "Some of the greatest Italian poetry ever written is in here. I'm not letting anybody else get their dirty paws on it."

Frowning down at him, she said, "You're supposed to be helping me."

"I am." Lifting her right up off the step ladder, he brought her over to the couch and dropped her down onto it. "You worked very hard today, why don't I read you a little something?"

Bonnie gave him her patented look of exasperation, which only made Damon grin.

"C'mon…" he cajoled. "A little poetry, some dinner, and we'll tackle the book drive again after."

"Promise?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Cross my heart," he said, doing exactly that with his finger.

"Fine." She crossed her arms over her chest and settled more comfortably into the corner of the couch. "I'm listening.  _Regale_ me…"

Damon thumbed through a few pages, in search of one of his favorites, he hummed, discarding a few, until eventually he found Dante Alighier's "Love and the Gentle Heart."

He read it first to her in flawless Italian, his mouth forming each word slowly, letting them drip from his tongue with reverence. He glanced up from time to time, watching the way her eyes fell to half-mast and her lips parted, letting his voice and his words, unknown to her, flow over her. He paused at the end, watched as she sighed, her shoulders slumping with something like bliss.

And then read it again, this time in English:

" _Love and the gentle heart are one thing,_  
just as the poet says in his verse,  
each from the other one as well divorced  
as reason from the mind's reasoning.

 _Nature craves love, and then creates love king,_  
and makes the heart a palace where he'll stay,  
perhaps a shorter or a longer day,  
breathing quietly, gently slumbering.

 _Then beauty in a virtuous woman's face_  
makes the eyes yearn, and strikes the heart,  
so that the eyes' desire is reborn again,  
and often, rooting there with a longing, stays,

_Until love, at last, out of its dreaming starts._

_A woman is moved likewise by a virtuous man_."

When Bonnie finally opened her eyes, she stared at him a long moment, and then gave a small nod. "That one stays."

He smiled slowly. "Good. I have a few more in here I think you'd like." He closed the book and placed it on the end table before he stood from the couch to return to the kitchen and check on his pasta sauce.

Bonnie lingered, before eventually pushing back off the couch and moving to the bookshelves once more. This time she was a lot more careful about picking which books should stay or go. He noticed she purposely skipped over anything in another language and his mouth turned up at the corners. Apparently she liked it when he spoke Italian; he'd have to keep that in mind.

* * *

**…**

* * *

"Kayla Durante," the announcer read, standing atop the stage.

In her blue graduation gown and cap, Kayla climbed the stairs to shake the hand of her principal and accept her high school diploma.

In the crowd, Bonnie stood, clapping and cheering loudly alongside Damon, who gave a piercing whistle, Naomi, Brandon, Annette and Peter. Bonnie spotted Kayla's parents a few rows down, clapping proudly along with them.

"Do you have the camera?" Bonnie asked.

Damon nodded beside her, digging the Polaroid camera out of his pocket.

"Come on." Squeezing past the others sitting beside them, they made their way down the aisle.

Kayla, after shaking the hands of her teachers, made her way around the many seats holding graduates and paused in front of Damon and Bonnie, flushed and beaming excitedly.

Bonnie gleefully handed her a bouquet of roses and a teddy bear holding a sign that read 'Congratulations!'

Holding the camera up, Damon nodded his chin at her. "Show me some teeth, Half-Pint."

She rolled her eyes, but complied, grinning lopsidedly as he snapped a picture and then handed it to Bonnie to shake out.

"One more," he said, holding the camera up.

"I have to go sit down," she said, laughing.

"In a sec. Hold up your diploma."

She sighed, but raised it up, her flowers and bear resting in her other arm, and mugged for the camera, crossing her eyes and sticking her tongue out just before the flash.

"Well, see, now you ruined the moment," Damon complained.

Groaning, Kayla shook her head. "I have to go sit down. I'm holding up the line."

"Okay, okay, we'll get more later," Bonnie decided waving her hands. Still, she was grinning so wide her cheeks hurt. "I'm so proud of you!"

Kayla flushed, her eyes falling. "I know. Thanks, Bon." She rolled her eyes and added, "You too, Damon."

"Don't get sappy, Kid. It's not our style," he said, before swinging an arm around Bonnie, who was blinking back tears. He winked at Kayla before she made her way back to take her seat by her fellow graduates.

Damon led Bonnie back to their seats, rubbing her arm. "You okay, Little Bird?"

She sniffled, nodding. "I'm just so happy for her. She tried  _so_ hard."

He chuckled under his breath and kissed her temple. "I know."

Taking their seats once more, he kept his arm around her through the rest of the ceremony. When it was over, they took a ton more pictures with each of them hugging Kayla happily and offered to take her out for lunch since her parents had a congratulatory dinner planned for later.

Bonnie, feeling like a proud mother, reached out and took Kayla's hand as they crossed the parking lot in a large group.

"Are you proud of yourself?" she wondered.

Kayla nodded. "Yeah. I am."

"Good. You should be. You worked your butt off to get your grades up and you never let anything get in your way." Bonnie squeezed her hand. "I'm proud of you, Kayla."

Blinking back the sting of tears, Kayla smiled. "You know, I'm not sure I could've done it without you."

Shaking her head, Bonnie released her hand to wrap her arm around her in a side hug. "You're a lot smarter and stronger than you think. And you are going to do  _amazing_ things… I can feel it."

"Yeah?"

Bonnie looked her in the eye and said, "You're a dragon, remember?"

Smiling tearfully, Kayla nodded. "I am, aren't I?"

"You are."

* * *

**…**

* * *

"What's this?" Bonnie asked, her brow furrowed as she stepped through the front door. She dropped her keys in the dish and shrugged her coat off, kicking her shoes behind her. "I thought we were doing soup and sandwiches tonight."

The table was dressed in unlit candles, the good wine glasses were out, and Damon had even rolled fabric napkins by the cutlery.

She paused. "Did I miss an anniversary or something?" she worried.

He grinned back at her. "No. I just felt like doing something nice."

Raising an eyebrow at him, she walked around the island slowly. "Okay…" she said slowly. "You're sure I didn't forget something. I know it's not your birthday…"

He laughed under his breath. "What? I can't make you dinner?" He walked into the kitchen, leaning down to press a lingering kiss to her forehead. "Food's not ready yet. You can take a shower, meet me back out here."

Bonnie was still skeptical, but shrugged, moving past the table and down the hallway to the bathroom. After closing the shop a little later than usual and getting Damon's text that he would meet her at home, she was expecting a low key night. Not that she wasn't happy with him going out of his way, she just wasn't sure of the 'why.'

After her shower, she dressed in her bathrobe and made her way to their bedroom, still dabbing her face dry with a towel. Seeing as he was dressed up in a black button up and pressed black pants, Bonnie decided to look through her closet for something nice to wear. She found a red wine dress that reached mid-thigh, with spaghetti straps, beside one of her favourite sweater dresses and pulled it out. The material wasn't tight but loose and floaty. She'd bought it on a shopping trip with Annette but hadn't had a chance to wear it yet. Laying it out on her bed, she went through her routine, drying her hair and tying it up, rubbing her favorite lotion into her skin, and dabbing perfume to various places. She skimmed into her dress and made her way out to the kitchen, leaving her feet bare in favor of comfort.

Damon was just lighting the candles, looking up as she stepped out of the mouth of the hallway. For a second, she felt her breath catch in her throat. The candlelight lit up his face, warming hollows and enhancing certain angles. She wasn't unaware of how handsome he was; she'd often thought how unfair it was that a man as dark as he could be was so unnaturally beautiful. Maybe it was the last few years, but some part of her had just gotten used to it. Seeing his face on a daily basis, seeing him at both his best and worst, it had a way of enhancing a person's personality beyond their looks. But there were moments, startling in their simplicity, where she looked at him and was reminded that he could take her breath away without even really trying.

"Hungry?" he asked her, mouth curving up on one side.

She nodded, breaking out of the spell, and even laughed at herself under her breath. She stepped further into the room, moving to her side of the table, smiling as he held her seat out and tucked her in as she sat.

"I made a little of all your favorite dishes," he told her, sitting down across from her and giving his napkin a snap to unfold it before laying it in his lap. He raised the lids off a few bowls and dishes, steam flowing out of each of them.

Her mouth watered as she took in each one; he wasn't kidding when he said it was all of her favorites. There was a little bit of everything she could ever remember telling him was his 'best dish yet.' She said it a lot too, since his cooking had made a bit of an addict out of her. Damon dished it out between them, licking his fingers as a little pasta sauce spilled onto his hand.

"How long've you been cooking?" she wondered.

He half-grinned, shrugging. "I took a half-day. Came home and got it started a little after you went to work."

Bonnie looked up at him, her brows hiked. "Why?"

He stared at her a long moment. "Just showing my appreciation," he said quietly.

She gazed at him a while longer, a warmth spreading through her chest, and when he broke his gaze away and tried to focus more on the food, she reached across the table, putting her hand over his. He skin was smooth and warm, and his finger unfurled as his hand turned over so hers rested against his palm. His thumbs rubbed across her knuckles, back and forth gently.

"Is that what the last few months have been about?" she wondered.

"Hm?" he said, purposely keeping his eyes on the baked salmon and zucchini he was placing on her plate, beside the steamed green beans.

"Damon," she said, raising an eyebrow. "It's hard not to notice how much attention you've been paying me lately. The extra date nights, taking me to the art exhibit, our late night walks around town, how you keep trying to get me to sleep in…" She watched him curiously. "You know I don't expect you to change, right? I was insecure, I know that. When the grimoire showed up, I made assumptions, about both of us. And I put that on you, instead of just talking to you like a normal person. All I'm trying to say is that it's  _not_  all on you. I have a part in it too. I should've trusted you more. After everything we've been through. I've  _seen_ you grow. I  _know_ you're not who you were. I just..." She chewed her lip, her gaze falling to the table.

"You what?" he prompted, squeezing her fingers encouragingly.

"I… I couldn't imagine you wanting to stay here, not when getting home… getting back to Elena and…  _everyone_. I just… I tried to think of a scenario where you would pick this over that and it never made sense. Everything you've ever done, everything I knew about you, it always had one outcome, and that was taken from you. I wanted to give it back to you. I wanted so badly to give you what you wanted, what you  _deserved_ , and I thought, if I just tried hard enough, I  _could_."

"What do you think I want?" he wondered.

Bonnie raised her eyes then, and found him staring back at her, his eyes soft, searching her face. She blamed the candles for still making him look so distractingly, hauntingly, beautiful. "Home," she murmured.

"We have a home.  _This_ is our home," he reminded, raising a finger to motion around them. "Might not be what we grew up in or what we were used to, but we made it a home. You and me."

She swallowed thickly then, her heart feeling like it was climbing up her throat. "It is. And I love it," she assured. "But there are still things missing here that can't be replaced… Like Stefan… Elena…" She trailed off. "I know you miss them. Even if you're happy here, I know you wish you could have them too."

"I think the emphasis there would be on 'too.' As in,  _additionally_." He shook his head. "I'm not going to lie and say I don't miss them, but… Everything we do, everything we want, comes at a price. We paid ours. We had that life, we lived it, and it's over. What we have now, I don't want to spend it regretting things. I spent too much of my life wondering 'what if,' being angry at my brother for choices he made that I would've made too if I was in his shoes." He screwed up his face, smiling faintly. "I'm tired of wishing things were different and putting all my chips on something that's probably never going to happen." He sighed, rubbing his thumb over her wrist. "I can't force you be happy. In the end, being happy, being okay with all of this, letting that life  _go_ , it's up to you."

"Is that what you're doing? Are you letting go of going home?" she wondered, peering at him thoughtfully.

"I…" He licked his lips, his tongue dragging slowly. "I'm accepting that home is different now. Not better or worse, just different."

Nodding slowly, Bonnie offered a smile. "Okay."

He stared into her eyes searchingly, gave her hand one last squeeze, and said, "Okay. Now. Eat up." She brought her hands back to her side, taking up her cutlery, and watched as he finished dishing out her food, his expression bright and his shoulders seeming to have been relieved of an unseen weight.

Putting her attention back on her food, she hummed appreciatively. "Everything looks amazing."

"Yeah, wait until you see dessert." He winked at her, smirking, and Bonnie felt her a thread of heat run through her.

She frowned for a moment, her brow furrowed. It wasn't the first time he'd winked at her; not even close. But it felt different. It felt  _charged_ , somehow, and she wasn't sure why.

"Bon?"

"Hm? Yeah. Sorry, what?" she said, giving her head a shake.

"You can't be in a food coma already, you haven't touched anything yet," he teased. "Pass me the wine."

Smiling, she did just that. "I'm just hungry," she defended, more to herself than him. Taking a deep breath, she decided to forget all about it and instead focus on the delicious meal in front of her. "Are we going to say thanks or anything?"

After pouring them each a glass of wine, Damon raised his, "To us. And everything we have ahead of us."

Bonnie raised her glass in cheers, gently knocking it against his.

 _Hear, hear_.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i'm so, so sorry this is so late. I originally planned this for monday, and then i thought wednesday would happen, but i have a lot of essays and tests to study for right now, so i didn't get a chance to edit this until tonight.
> 
> okay, so, the romance in this chapter was seen more through physical touch, and through damon's talk with danny. this is him beginning to understand that his feelings for bonnie, what he has with her, can be amazing on a whole other level. which is why you can see bonnie slowly starting to notice something coming from him and why he's even more physically affectionate with her. i see damon as more action orientated than vocal, so a lot of what he wants gets shown through little touches and how he's always got some part of him touching her. with bonnie, she's starting to notice the tension and she's questioning what she feels. the ending of this chapter is also really important because this signifies damon truly closing the door on not only going home but on elena. the previous chapter was more of him recognizing that he wouldn't sacrifice bonnie to get home to elena, but this is him realizing that by accepting that going back is no longer an option, he has to let her go too. i like to think his conversation with danny had a lot to do with him fleshing his feelings out on that end and, as he and bonnie grow together, he's realizing that his relationship with her is much healthier than those he's had in the past. the next chapter will explore more of the tension between them now that bonnie's becoming aware and damon's let go. so i hope you're eager for that!
> 
> thank you all so much for reading, i really appreciate all of your feedback and how much you're enjoying the story. it really keeps my passion for it going.
> 
> please leave a review!
> 
> \- **lee | fina**


	7. epiphany

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **faceclaim** : [C A S T](http://sarcasticfina.tumblr.com/eternity)

**VII**.

* * *

**FIVE YEARS**

* * *

For the record, Bonnie wasn't exactly sure when Sunday morning cuddling became a thing, though she wouldn't exactly be complaining either.

It felt good to be touched, to be held, to feel cherished. Anything beyond that was not something she felt like dissecting. What she did know was that she enjoyed it, and so did he.

Damon loved to cuddle. He never said it outright, but Sunday mornings were their sleep-in day and, more often than not, she woke up with him wrapped around her, his head on her shoulder or his face buried against her stomach, or one particularly memorable moment when he had his cheek comfortably perched on her breast, a faint smile turning up his mouth. Regardless of whether it just naturally happened when they were sleeping, he no longer detangled from her when they were awake. Instead, if she tried to get up and end their early morning cuddles, he would make a frustrated noise of argument and tighten his arms around her. It was cute, at least when she didn't desperately have to pee.

Five years they'd been in this strange world, and she'd grown an odd fondness for it. She liked their friends and their town and her shop. But more than that, she liked how quiet and safe and normal it all was. She liked not having to fear for her life every other day or having to put up with some huge tragedy that took them by surprise. And she really liked that Damon was there with her. Sure, in the beginning she'd had some reservations about how they would cope, sharing the same space, day in and day out. She'd been certain they'd end up killing each other. Instead, he became her closest friend. He became her other half in a way nobody had before. She had loved Jeremy, she never doubted that, but there was a miscommunication there that never seemed to end. Maybe theirs was a doomed love from the start. What she had with Damon was different. And labeling it was sometimes more difficult than she understood. He was her friend, of that she was sure. But sometimes when he looked at her, when she looked at him, she felt something. A shift. A  _heat_. And the title of friend seemed so  _lacking_ because of it.

Whatever he was, he was hers. She knew Damon better than he knew himself some days and, while he sometimes drove her crazy, she wouldn't trade him in for anything or anyone. As strange as it might have seemed to her five years ago, now she couldn't imagine her life without him in it, and she was glad that she probably wouldn't have to. Whatever weird world they were in, it seemed to be holding up. Between so much time passing and her inability to use magic no matter how hard she tried, she had no reason to believe that would change any time soon. So here they were, stuck with each other, and it was more a blessing than she could have ever expected.

"You're thinking too hard."

"Is that even possible?"

"Your thinking is interrupting," he complained.

She snorted. "Interrupting  _what?_ "

Instead of answering, Damon merely tightened his arm around her waist and drew her back until she was comfortably tucked into the curve of his body. He nuzzled her hair out of the way and perched his chin on her shoulder. "Go back to sleep, it's Sunday."

Bonnie smiled faintly and covered his hand with hers, closing her eyes even as the sun crept up over their bed and them. Another hour couldn't hurt.

* * *

**…**

* * *

"Are your eyes open?" she demanded, her voice a little distant as she was no longer in the bedroom.

He laughed, leaning back on the pillows stacked up behind him in the bed, and called back, "Are you accusing me of being a liar? I'm offended, Miss Bennett. Is this how you treat everybody on their birthday?"

"Damon," she said exasperatedly. "Just keep your eyes closed."

"They're closed." He paused. "Is this going to turn naughty?" He placed his hands in a prayer position under his chin and said, " _Please_. Lingerie is always the best gift."

"I wasn't aware you enjoyed wearing lingerie. I'll keep it in mind for Christmas. Remind me to get your measurements later."

"Ha.  _Ha_ ," he muttered, mouth still turned up at the corners. "Seriously though, how much longer do I have to keep my eyes closed? If you made me breakfast in bed, it's gotta be getting cold by now…"

"It's not breakfast."

She was much closer now and, being the most impatient person alive, he cracked one eye.

"No peeking!" she ordered, backing up through the bedroom door and glaring at him.

He obeyed, but he knew now that she had a box in her hands. "Presents already?" He held his hands out. "Gimme."

"God, you're the worst for trying to surprise, you know that?" she complained, but placed the box in his lap anyway.

"Geez, Bon, what'd you get me. Little heavy, don't you think?"

"Open your eyes," she sighed. "Just for the record, this is yours.  _All_ yours. Meaning completely and entirely  _your_ responsibility. And also your  _fault_  if anything goes wrong."

"That's not discouraging at all." His eyes popped open as he stared down at the nondescript brown box, no wrapping, just closed loosely on top. "I really appreciate the effort you put into making this beautiful for me," he said sarcastically. "Seriously though, should I be concerned by the lack of flashy wrapping paper and handmade bows? You're usually a sucker for those. Has the spark gone out of our relationship? Is this a sign?"

Bonnie rolled her eyes, crossing her arms over her chest. "Just open it."

"Fine, fine." Reaching for the top, he hooked his finger under one of the box flaps before he felt the box shift,  _on its own_. His eyes suddenly widened. "You  _didn't_ …"

She smirked at him.

Flipping the top open hastily, he peered down inside, and sucked in a sudden breath. A little black Labrador puppy lay curled up inside; it opened its mouth to let out a yawn and blinked pale blue eyes up at him. Damon reached inside and picked it up, the box shoved to the side as he grinned. It was perfect, and something excited twisted up in his chest. He'd always wanted a dog and now he finally had one.

"What's his name?"

" _Her_ name. And she's your dog, you name her," she said, taking a seat on the edge of the bed. "They didn't get too creative with names where I picked her up. One of the dogs at the shelter gave birth and this little lady was the runt of the litter." She reached over to gently stroke her fingers down the puppy's back.

Damon cupped his hand under the dog's backside and cradled her against his chest, staring down at her as she peered back at Damon curiously. She crawled up Damon's chest, her little tail wagging, and stretched a paw out to Damon's face. "You know, leaving the name up to me could be a bad idea. I could call her Dracula… That could be gender neutral, right?"

Bonnie's nose wrinkled with distaste. "Please don't."

"Fine." He narrowed his eyes thoughtfully. "But it's gonna take me some time to get her name right."

Bonnie rolled her eyes and stood from the bed. "Uh-huh, just as long as I have something to yell when she starts chewing on everything." She walked off toward the door then, telling him, "I'll start breakfast, birthday boy."

As soon as she was gone, he looked down at his nameless puppy. Stroking his hand down her back and scratching at her nape, he said, "Don't worry, you'll grow on her. Trust me, I'd know."

* * *

**…**

* * *

Apparently having a dog was not all it was cracked up to be; still nameless, the only word their dog would know these days would be 'No!' as it was Bonnie's favorite thing to yell whenever it started peeing or chewing on anything in sight.

"You're your father's dog," she'd mutter as she cleaned up, glaring at the little rascal that panted cheerfully, watching her with her head tipped to the side.

Still, regardless of the chaos she brought with her, the dog had a certain charm. She yapped too much and ate non-stop, but she also loved to cuddle and her favorite spots were Damon's chest and Bonnie's lap. She'd taken to sleeping on Damon whenever he laid down and spent most of her mornings with Bonnie, who had elected to start bringing her to the store with her, where she had a little dog bed for her to lay on in her office while Bonnie did book work. This, she defended, was more out of pity for the dog having to stay home alone than because Bonnie had taken any sort of liking to her. She maintained she had not; it was Damon's dog and she put up with her and all of her loud whining (especially at night, because she was afraid of the dark), solely because Damon was completely in love with his new dog.

Every morning, he took her out with him for his jog and as soon as he finished work and met Bonnie at the shop, he was all about playing with his puppy on the floor and kissing her forehead as he scratched her ears. Bonnie had no idea he could be so mushy. It was rather endearing.

Bonnie watched, biting her lip to hide a smile, as Damon pulled on a knotted rope, playing tug-o-war with his dog, grinning excitedly and letting her think she'd won, dramatically letting himself fall to the shop floor before he was accosted with puppy kisses all over his face.

"I don't think I've ever seen Damon show something so much attention before," Annette said, grinning down at the display. "Well, besides you."

Bonnie half-smiled at her. "Yeah, he's really fallen in love with her."

"Has he named her yet?"

She rolled her eyes. "No. Sometimes he calls her 'little lady' but he just likes giving things nicknames."

"Well, whatever her name is, she left a 'gift' in your office…" Annette's brows hiked in sympathy before she walked off.

Sighing, Bonnie's head fell back.  _Why_  did she think getting him a dog was a good idea?

* * *

**…**

* * *

Damon was reading in bed, his head balanced on a pillow and his chin on his chest. He held the book with one hand and scratched his dog's ear as she lay sleeping on his stomach.

Bonnie was going through her usual nightly routine; she looked back at him from her seat at her vanity, rubbing lotion into her legs. "You know, she's going to grow up and she's not going to be small… Eventually, you're going to have to train her to sleep in her own bed."

His brow furrowed as he finished of his paragraph and then looked over at her, laying his book down and covering the dog's ears with both his hands. "Shh. You'll hurt her feelings." He tisked. "Shouldn't you be happy we're letting her sleep with us? It creates a bond. She'll be attached. Meaning when someone breaks in, she'll save us."

"Unless they have a squeak toy with them," she snorted.

"She's young, she'll learn." He grinned down at her. "Just you watch, she'll be a great guard dog. She'll go right for the jugular."

Rolling her eyes, Bonnie made her way over to the bed, her satin nightgown sliding gently against her skin. Climbing into bed, she laid down beside him, propping her head on one hand while she reached out the other to stroke the dog's back. "Damon, face it, you've raised a softie."

" _Lies_ ," he denied. "She's fierce and protective."

Shifting in her sleep, his puppy made a faint squeaking noise, stretched her legs out, and then fell quiet again.

"Yeah, she's terrifying," Bonnie murmured, amused.

"She'll grow into it." He rubbed his fingers over her head and smiled gently as one of her legs kicked as she dreamed. "I always wanted a dog."

"Is she everything you dreamed of?"

He looked over at her, nodding. "She's pretty cute considering how much crap she leaves in the backyard."

Bonnie laughed. "It's the pretty ones you gotta watch out for. They sneak up on you."

"Yeah, those and the quiet ones." He eyed her thoughtfully before saying, "I never really thanked you."

"For what?" She raised an eyebrow. "It was your birthday. I know I complain about having to clean up after her, but I knew what I was getting into when I bought her…" She smiled then. "I took one look at her and I knew she was supposed to be yours."

"Not just for the dog. Although that too," he admitted.

Turning her head back, she looked up at him curiously. "What for then?"

"Everything." He shrugged faintly. "Being here, sticking around even when you didn't have to, putting up with me when I was annoying, taking my hand when everything was going bright white light… Who knows, if you didn't, I might not be here."

Humming thoughtfully, she shook her head. "You don't have to thank me for that… As far as I'm concerned, we saved each other. Held each other up. If we're at all healed from what happened, it's because we got through it together. So if you're going to thank me, I'll have to thank you. Instead, why don't we just be happy with it. No thanks needed."

"Okay." His mouth turned up on one corner. And then he said, "I picked out a name for her."

"Really? What'd that take, three weeks?" she teased.

He chuckled, low under his breath, and then said, "Mina."

"Mina," she repeated to herself, and then blinked, and gave his arm a shove. "Mina Murray."

He grinned. "I appreciate a classic."

Bonnie clucked her tongue at him, but then her eyes fell to the sleeping puppy and she smiled slowly. "I like it."

Nodding, he said, "Yeah, me too."

* * *

**…**

* * *

"How much longer before you think she's done?" Danny wondered, sitting on a crate, wiping his hands on a towel.

"Not long," Damon answered, leaning back from his car. "I'm still waiting to hear back about a part and it needs some fresh paint, but she's nearly done."

"I know I razzed you in the beginning, but I gotta admit, she's really comin' along."

"Yeah, you're just sucking up," he scoffed. "Bonnie gets the first ride. I'll wave at you as we go by though."

Danny snorted. "You're a real saint, Salvatore."

He grinned. "Usually I hear the opposite, but that works too."

Shaking his head, Danny rested his arms on his knees. "You, uh, you said you worked on your old car with your brother..."

"Yeah. Stefan and I didn't have a whole lot in common, but we did love our classic cars."

Danny hummed thoughtfully. A few moments passed before he eventually said, "You don't mention him much."

Damon glanced at him, then shrugged. "Guess I don't."

"And he hasn't visited in five years…"

"No, he hasn't."

"So… you talk to him?"

"No." He paused, frowned, and then admitted, "Sometimes. When I'm  _really_ drunk."

"You call him, or…" Danny hedged carefully.

"Are you trying to ask if my brother's dead?" Damon asked, turning around to stare at him curiously.

He offered a faint smile. "Carla says I'm terrible at hinting."

"Carla's right."

"I just wondered, I guess. I mean, when you do talk about him, sounds like you guys got a pretty screwed up history together. But… brothers, right? Guess I figured there was only a few reasons why he wouldn't come to town."

"Not a lot of people do come to town, you ever noticed that?"

Danny shrugged, his gaze turning away, distant.

Damon frowned. "Well, since I know all too well how much not knowing will eat at you… Stefan did die, yeah. He, uh… He was saving his best friend, Caroline. Got killed for his effort. Tell you the truth, I think he was in love with her. He never said anything, but there were signs, you know? Anyway, Caroline was pretty screwed up after that. She was the peppy type, really positive all the time. Wasn't the same after Stefan…" Admittedly, she was more than a little ruthless after Stefan died, going so far as to kill boy-witch to force girl-witch into helping them get back everyone, with a few choice leftovers anyway.

"Must'a been hard… Losing your girlfriend and your brother."

"It was. It's been…" He paused, a lump burning in his throat. "You know, Stefan, he was… Serious. The broody kind. He used to frown all the time, get these wrinkles on his forehead. He was always trying to fix me, tell me how to be a better person. And I did everything possible to prove him wrong, to show him I couldn't change. And for some weird reason, he never really gave up hope…" He let out a laugh, faint and more than a little sad. "The funny thing is, I think he'd like who I was now. The life I built up here. He'd probably congratulate me. Tell me he was  _proud_ or something sappy like that…" His mouth turned up on one side. "He was a good guy. Obnoxious, self-righteous, boring. But good. In a way I was always kind of jealous of."

Danny hummed. "You miss him?"

"I do. Yeah." He ground his teeth a little. "More than I thought I would." He let himself linger on the thought, on the memory, for a little while, but then he shook it off, offered up a sarcastic grin, and said, "All right, enough of that. I'm starving. What about you? I think we've got some lasagna leftover from last night."

"If I wasn't hungry before, I am now. Lead the way, man."

Damon made his way inside, whistling so Mina would follow them.

Despite the lingering sadness that he didn't have Stefan around in his life, there was something that felt good about being able to share even a little bit of him, to talk about him with Danny. Maybe he'd do it more often. Couldn't hurt to try.

* * *

**…**

* * *

They were dancing.

Bonnie couldn't quite remember what brought it on, just that one minute she was walking through the dining room and the next Damon was twirling her around. Mina ran around underfoot, yapping, pawing at their legs, but Damon just continued to turn them around in a circle, his arm around her waist and his hand folded over hers. She liked when he got into moods like this. He was still in his work gear, his boots sounding loud on the floor, and he smelled like sweat and sawdust. She closed her eyes and rested her head against his shoulder while he hummed along to the music, his lips buzzing against her ear.

He held her hand to his chest, just short of her chin, his forefinger lightly tracing circles around her knuckles. And his other hand skimmed up, gently squeezing her shoulder before sliding back down, drawing circles on her lower back before it settled around her hip again.

She wondered sometimes if he missed being touched, missed the intimacy of a real relationship, and so he took what he could from her. She also couldn't help but wonder if sometimes he closed his eyes and imagined she was Elena and he was back home, back to normal. She never did though. She never imagined it was Jeremy's heart thumping away under her ear, his hand holding hers, his body that was so warm and firm and pressed close to hers. She never tried to imagine what Jeremy would smell like instead. And sometimes that bothered her. It made her feel guilty that she was so comfortable, so  _content_  where she was. But as long as she never said it out loud, she didn't have to think about it.

"We should order in tonight," he said, his voice sounding deeper this close to her ear. She tried to ignore the shiver that rippled down her spine and bit her lip. "Light some candles, open a bottle of wine, make a night of it."

She nodded. "Yeah. I'd like that."

"Okay." He kissed the top of her head, and slowly pulled away from her. "I'm going to jump in for a shower. You wanna call in dinner?"

"Sure." She smiled, and willed her heart to stop thumping so loudly.

He grinned at her, and her heart skipped a beat.

As he turned on his heel to walk away, her smile fell, and she blinked. "Oh no."

* * *

**…**

* * *

"Damon!" Bonnie shouted, though her voice sounded low coming through the wall.

"What?" he yelled back, lifting his head from the box he was going through in the garage. Bonnie had reminded him that this was the fourth time he'd put off cleaning out the excess of junk filling up the garage, so he'd finally decided to get around to it. But cleaning meant periodically getting distracted looking through the boxes to see what he'd kept for no apparent reason. So far, all junk. He rather appreciated the distraction she was offering.

"Where'd we put the sleeping bags?"

He paused, his eyes turned up in thought. "Check the laundry room!"

"I did!"

Huffing irritably, he leaned back on his knees. "Check the storage closet!"

"Did that too!"

Frowning, he pushed up from the floor, dusted himself off and walked to the door, yanking it open and leaning his head inside. He remembered suddenly exactly where the bags were and rolled his eyes to himself. "Bon-nie…" he said in a sing-song voice.

She peeked her head around the corner from the hallway. "Da-mon," she mimicked him.

"You remember last month, when The Kid was planning for some big graduation camping trip…?" he said leadingly.

Realization dawned and her brows hiked abruptly. "Kayla borrowed it, that's right!  _Duh_." Nodding, she started toward the kitchen for the phone, Mina nipping at her heels. "Thank you!"

"Hey!" he called after her, watching her retreating form. " _Why?_ "

"Because." She turned on her heel to face him. "Annette is planning a big camp out for next week."

"I'm busy next week. We got that job rebuilding the pizza joint that burned down last month," he reminded her. "Al asked if I wanted some overtime so I told him I'd work the weekend. Car fund is getting low."

"I know. It's a girl's only retreat." She stuck her tongue out at him. "If it makes you feel better, I'll eat a s'more in your honor."

He rolled his eyes, but his mouth tipped up. "Sure. Rub it in."

She grinned then. "Don't worry… We can have a little camp out of our own when I get back. Me, you, a bag of marshmallows and the barbecue out back."

He smirked as she turned back around and walked off.

Shaking his head he pushed off the door. "I'm holding you to that," he called after her before ducking back into the garage to finish what he was doing.

* * *

**…**

* * *

"Okay, I don't know about you ladies, but I'd be happy to drink a whole bottle of this wine all to myself," Naomi declared as she made her way into the living room and took a seat on the couch.

Bonnie laughed, grinning at the women all sitting around her. "Well, there's plenty to go around. I picked up a bunch of snacks too."

"Good. I'm  _starving_ ," Annette told her, leaning back against the bottom of an arm chair. "I haven't eaten since breakfast. I've been running around doing errands all morning."

"Are we making dinner or ordering out?" Carla asked, smiling thankfully at Naomi as she topped off her wine glass.

"I picked up food in case we wanted to cook, but I'm open to ordering out too. We have a bunch of flyers we can look through," Bonnie said, pushing up from her place on the floor and making her way into the kitchen.

The front door opened then and Damon stepped inside, his hands already up in apology. "I know, I know, I'm interrupting ladies night. I just need to grab something and then I'll be out of your hair." He hurried down the hallway, boots still on, and started searching around in the closet by the door leading into the garage. When he came back out, he had Mina's favorite chew toy with him. "She keeps chewing on Chris' furniture," he explained as he came back out, stuffing it in his pocket.

"Did you get her blanket?" Bonnie wondered. "She's still kind of nervous at other people's houses. It might be nice to have something familiar."

"I did. I grabbed it before I left."

"Did you bring food? She'll get hungry," she worried, starting toward the pantry, where they kept the large bag of dog food.

He grinned at her. "I got the food, yes." At her skeptical expression, he added, "More than enough, I promise."

"Fine. But if you need anything, call."

He chuckled at her and dipped his head to press a kiss to her cheek, his lips so low they nearly touched the corner of her mouth. "You're cute when you get all mother-hen."

Rolling her eyes, she swatted his arm. "Shut up. Go. Have fun. Tell Brandon and Chris I said hi."

He winked at her, nodding before he stepped through the kitchen and waved at the other ladies. "Have a good night, ladies."

"Bye, Damon!" they called after him as the door closed.

Bonnie moved to the drawer to dig out the menus and then rejoined the others, who were already discussing who would be painting whose nails and with what color.

* * *

**…**

* * *

"How'd you screw up your shoulder?" he wondered, taking a seat on the couch and motioning for her to join him.

Sipping at her glass of wine, she walked over to sit on edge of the couch, between his parted legs. "I was lifting a box over my head and it's been bugging me ever since."

"You think you pulled something?" He tugged the neckline of her shirt down her arm, baring her shoulder, a thin bra strap crossing atop it.

"I don't know. It just hurts. Not hospital bad, but enough that I can't stop rubbing it." She winced as she let her head fall forward.

"Lemme see."

Damon gently brushed her hair over to her other shoulder before gently probing her neck until she said 'there.'

Nodding, he pinched his fingers down the curve of her neck, rubbing his thumbs in circles and kneading away the tension there. His hands made their way across the slope of her shoulder, kneading and massaging as they went. He ran the heel of one palm up the nape of her neck before curving his fingers around it and loosely rubbing down the side, taking careful notice of her breathing as she hummed appreciatively or groaned negatively. When he hit a particular knot, she let out a moan, her eyes falling to half-mast as she leaned back into his touch, her head lolling forward. Placing her wine on the coffee table, she laid her palms flat on her bare thighs, her jean shorts riding high.

Damon worked her over, slow and methodical, watching as she loosened up, resting much of her body weight back against his hands. Her skin was soft and warm and, for a moment, he couldn't help but stare at her neck and remember how it had used to mesmerize him. He'd only had one real taste of her, one bite, and it'd been in the heat of the moment, when his rage had hit a peak. He'd thought about it later, about how much better it could have been under different circumstances. Bonnie's blood was delicious, as most witch blood was, but hers had a special tang. She tasted like fire, like a barely tamed flame licking over his tongue and down his throat. He hadn't felt that kind of desperation for blood in a long time, but the memory stuck with him. The intimacy of having a body cradled against his chest as his mouth suckled at a willing (or, in some cases, unwilling) neck.

He was still massaging her as he leaned forward, breathing her in, her shampoo a light floral scent and the perfume she dabbed on her neck each morning a touch spicy. Her skin would taste a little salty, and his tongue suddenly felt heavy with the distinct desire to lick her. From the round curve of her shoulder, up her delectable neck, to right behind her ear, take the lobe between his teeth and nibble. She would lean back into him, her breath leaving her, slow and deep, and he would kiss down the strong line of her jaw, tilt her chin up, and take her lips. Bonnie had a beautiful mouth. Full and perpetually curved at the corners, like she was smirking at him, all knowing and judgy, just the way he liked her.

Want swamped him, heady and distracting, and his fingers twitched with how easy it could be. How  _right_ it could be, to just bring her back, hold her close to him, get lost in her. In every part of her. Bury his face in her hair and breathe her in, press his mouth to her skin, every inch of her skin, lose himself in her mouth and her eyes and the reaching, gripping, stroking touch of her hands reciprocating everything he gave her.

It was that thought —of  _reciprocation_ — that made him pause.

What if she didn't?

What if she was shocked or confused or weirded out by his advances?

They were friends. Good friends.  _Best_ friends. And they'd built a life together that hinged on trust and comfort. He couldn't afford to disrupt that. He couldn't afford to do anything that might result in losing her.

That didn't mean a part of him didn't want to try.

"Better?" he asked, his voice huskier than he wanted it to be.

"Mmm…" She nodded faintly. "Much. Thanks. It's been bugging me all afternoon." She didn't hurry to get away from him, instead resting her back against her chest, her eyes still half-closed, like she was sleepy, like she could just curl right up and drift away.

He didn't want her sleepy. He wanted her worked up. He wanted to know what she looked like when she was so hot she couldn't see straight. Her breathing strained, her body twisting up as she reached for him, inviting him closer, inviting him  _in_.

His jaw ticked, the images in his head more than a little explicit. But it wasn't just that. It was the idea of what could come after. The slow breathing and the curling up together and stroking her hair back off her sweaty skin, kissing her slowly as she hummed with satisfaction. It was waking up in the morning with her there, looking up at him sleepily, naked and comfortable and happy to revel in it. He wanted that. He  _missed_ that. The sex, sure, but the intimacy that came with it. He wanted to know what Bonnie looked like when she was taken care of in every possible way, and he wanted to be the person taking care of her.

He dropped his head down, not quite thinking, and he pressed a kiss to her shoulder, soft and delicate, lingering on her bare skin, his nose brushing faintly against the strap of her bra. His hand slid around her front, fingers splayed over her stomach.

Her breath left her slowly, a slight hitch to it, but she didn't pull away. She stayed where she was, her head against his shoulder, turned just a little to the side.

A beep came from the kitchen then, reminding him that he had food on.

Clearing his throat, he gave her thigh a pat before he lifted her up, hands scooped under her thighs, and easily put her on the cushion beside him. Shoving up from the couch, he made his way into the kitchen, walking a little funny, his jeans too tight. "You need a refill?" he asked her as she played with the stem of her wine, staring down into it, her cheeks flushed.

Her brow furrowed and her lips pursed, deep in thought. "Hm? Oh. Um." She nodded, and then tipped the glass back and drank it all in one guzzle. "Yeah, I think I do," she said, standing and making her way to where the bottle sat on the counter.

He watched her, wondering what was going through her head, if she felt that energy flowing between them too.

If she did, she didn't say anything, merely smiling at him, sipping at her wine, and circling around to stand next to him. "What're we making? Anything I can help with?"

He took it for what it was; a sign that everything was business as usual. Either she hadn't felt it, or she had and she wasn't willing to dissect it. He decided, staring down at her, that he would play along.

 _For now_.

* * *

**…**

* * *

"Bonnie!"

"I'm coming! Hold on, hold on," she called back.

"Hurry up, it started."

Bonnie walked through the sliding glass door leading onto the back porch, two beers hanging from one hand and the Polaroid camera tucked under her arm. "Here," she said, handing him his beer before she took a seat on the arm of the chair he was sitting on.

Taking a sip, he leaned his head back and watched as the sky slowly lit with a crossing meteor.

Bonnie leaned back too, resting against his side.

Damon gave his lap a pat and Mina hopped up to sit with him, curling up in a ball and resting her chin on her paws.

"What do you think it really is?" Bonnie wondered, staring up at the sky as a white streak ran across it. "Could be souls crossing over. Whatever souls don't make it here. Maybe they land somewhere else, in a different place that's just like this one…"

"Or maybe it's just a meteor." He rubbed a hand over the small of her back soothingly. "I know we're isolated here, Bon. There's no getting out of town. But not everything's going to tie into heaven or death. Sometimes things just  _are_."

"It just makes me think," she said, searching for the next flash of light while she picked at the label of her beer. "When that comet flew over Mystic Falls, I thought it was a harbinger of evil. The last time it'd been seen was when everything went wrong. It was like it was setting us up for disaster and… I wasn't wrong."

"What do you think about this one?" he wondered.

"I don't know." She let her head fall back as she gazed up at the serene sky, full of bright stars that winked at her. "It's beautiful, isn't it? Nature and the meteors and… this sleepy little town. It's like… It's everything Mystic Falls used to be."

"Before I came to town."

"I didn't say that." She looked back at him. "I know I blamed you for a lot of things, and some of them were warranted, but not all of them. You're not evil, Damon. You've done things, things that I know you wish you could take back or change or that you regret ever doing. But the past is in the past. And besides, we're not in Mystic Falls anymore. So if this is supposed to represent anything, it represents rebirth. A new beginning." She looked back up, watching one and then two and three meteors streak by. And she smiled.

"I like the sound of that," he said, squeezing his hand around her hip.

"Me too."

* * *

**…**

* * *

Mina was not a fan of traffic. Bonnie remembered this every time she took her for a walk and had to cross a street. Mina was also big enough now that picking her up to carry her across the road was not easy.

"Mina,  _please_ ," she begged, bending down near the dog, who had sat down as soon as they reached the crosswalk and hadn't budged for the last three light changes. "Come on, there's a treat for you if you just cross… Give a girl a break. I was supposed to be back in the shop twenty minutes ago. You know, if I didn't own it, I could be fired for this…"

Panting, Mina merely stared up at Bonnie with sad puppy eyes.

Bonnie looked away so they couldn't lure her into giving up and just setting down roots where she sat. "We can't stay here forever… You'll get hungry eventually."

"Need some help?"

Bonnie looked up abruptly, her brows hiked, and found a handsome man half-smiling down at her. He was tall, with tanned skin and warm hazel eyes.

"Lab, right? She's a good looking dog." He bent down to smile at Mina.

"Uh, yeah." Bonnie scrubbed her fingers behind Mina's ear. "She knows she's pretty. Personally, I think it's gone to her head."

Mina merely panted in her direction, her tail wagging as she looked up at the handsome stranger curiously.

"Caleb," he introduced himself, holding a hand out.

She shook his hand, and told him, "Bonnie."

"Nice to meet you, Bonnie." He motioned toward Mina and said, "I've got a golden retriever and two unfriendly cats at home."

"Unfriendly?"

"They were nice before I got the dog," he admitted, "but now I think they've dedicated their lives to spiting me."

Bonnie laughed. "Well, Mina's the only one in my house." She rubbed Mina's chest affectionately. "Which is probably good because she's a bit of an attention hog."

"Well, it looks like she's well loved, just a little scared of traffic. Better to be scared than too curious, I guess."

"She's definitely well loved. Her food dish can attest to that," Bonnie agreed. "But yeah, she's not too keen about crossing the road. What about your dog, does he mind?"

He grinned, and she was momentarily distracted by how handsome he was. "Radar will do anything for a walk; he doesn't let anything stop him."

"Radar. That's cute."

"So's Mina. It's unique."

"Ah. Yeah. Mina Murray." She shrugged, kissing Mina's snout before she stood upright and shook her legs out. "Any suggestions for getting her to cross the road?"

"Distraction usually works. Treats, favorite toy, favorite person... Anything like that."

Bonnie hummed and then dug around in her purse until she found Mina's favorite ball under her wallet. "What's this, huh?" She showed it to Mina, who stood excitedly, her tail wagging. "Come on, Meen. We cross this road and we're halfway to my shop. Then I'll get Brandon to play fetch with you in the alley, okay? He'll love a break from the stock room."

Mina, who tracked the ball with her eyes, didn't seem to pay any attention to the road as they crossed at the next light.

Caleb went along with them, smiling happily when they made it across without problem. "You have a shop around here?" he asked politely.

"Yeah, I own the herbal remedies store just down the block," she told him, amused as Mina pulled on her leash and yapped for her ball. "Sorry. I really should get back. Thank you for helping me out with the cross walk trick."

"Sure, anytime. Nice meeting you, Bonnie. Maybe I'll see you at your shop sometime."

"You too. It's half-off candles on Thursdays," she said before turning on her heel and walking away. As soon as she did, she frowned to herself. " _Half-off candles_. Ugh. Why do I even talk?" Bonnie tossed the ball over and Mina caught it between her teeth. "Come on, let's go pretend that embarrassing moment never happened. It'll be just between us girls, huh?"

Mina cheerfully followed her back to the store.

* * *

**…**

* * *

The place they'd found to sit in the park was relatively quiet. She could still see and hear a lot of the other people, but they were far enough away that the noise wasn't getting on her nerves. With her back up against a large, old tree, Bonnie lost herself in a book, one of her hands absently stroking Damon's hair, his head in her lap.

"Here. Taste this."

Bonnie glared up at him as he shoved a spoon between her lips. "Damon!"

"What?" He shrugged. "Tastes like cotton candy, right?"

Rolling the flavor around on her tongue, she nodded.

"Well I didn't  _order_ cotton candy. I wanted bubblegum."

She blinked at him. "Are we having this conversation? You sound like a grumpy eight year old."

"Don't harsh my vibe, Bon-Bon. I spent four dollars on this ice cream. I at least expect it to be the flavor I asked for."

"Well, it's a little too late for that now…" She eyed the container he held in his hand and said, "You ate half of it already."

"Right, so he only needs to replace  _half_."

"I highly doubt he'll do that."

"Don't be a Debbie Downer, Bennett." He reached up and smeared ice cream on the tip of her nose, grinning as she let out an irritated noise.

Mina hopped up and quickly started licking at Bonnie's nose and the rest of her face, while Damon merely laughed. He reached over and scooped Mina up, putting her on his chest while Bonnie wiped the dog slobber away and frowned down at them.

"So… now that you're no longer reading, what do you wanna do? Feed some ducks, rent a two-person bicycle, take a paddle boat out on the water?" He wiggled his eyebrows at her.

"Mina doesn't like the water," she reminded. " _Or_ ducks. And if the bike doesn't have a basket, things are going to get awkward."

"Well, look at that, Meen. You're ruining a perfectly good park date," he said, scrubbing Mina been the ears. "Here. Make me feel better. Attack those jocks playing Frisbee. I  _hate_ Frisbee." He turned her head in the direction of the guys playing in a nearby field, and nodded encouragingly. "Get 'em."

" _Damon…_ " Bonnie rolled her eyes, and dug around in her bag, coming up with a ball. "Here. Why don't you two play fetch while I read my book?"

"That doesn't sound like a relaxing day for  _both_ of us..."

"Sure it does. As soon as you tire her out, you get to come relax with me again."

"Fine. But only because she saw the ball." He plucked it out of her fingers and rolled over onto his knees, standing from the grass and dusting himself off before he whistled, calling Mina to follow him as he gave the ball a long throw. Mina eagerly chased after it, scooping it up in her mouth and bringing it back, only to play keep-away with Damon for a while.

Bonnie smiled as she watched them, looking so happy with each other. Mina was getting bigger, but she was just as much a puppy as the day they got her. She still loved to cuddle and spent entirely too much time sleeping in their bed. Bonnie didn't have the heart to kick her out. At least not yet.

Eventually, she went back to her book, but a few chapters in, Damon finally came back to sit with her, his head immediately finding her lap once more while a tired Mina flopped down beside them, panting.

Bonnie reached for her bag once more and dug out a book for Damon, handing it to him so he could read too.

They spent much of the afternoon like that, and she loved every moment of it.

* * *

**…**

* * *

Chris put the salsa down on the table, already cluttered with various other dips, and then flopped back in his favorite arm chair. He grabbed up his beer off the side table and asked, "What's the score?"

Damon scooped up a handful of nacho chips. "Twelve-nothing."

"Still?"

"You were gone two minutes, what'd you think happened?"

"A miracle, clearly." Chris sighed, taking another drag of his beer. "You hear about Randy?"

Damon grinned slowly. "You mean, did I hear about his wife serving him divorce papers and then loudly announcing to a full restaurant that she's been sleeping with the pool boy since they have the same taste in men?  _Yeah_. I heard."

Chris snorted. "Where do you even pick this gossip up from?"

He shrugged. "Depends. Some of it I hear at work, some of it I get from Naomi when I drop by the store. And I've got a few other sources; there's a waitress at Sadie's that likes to tell me who's hooking up with who. I think she's gonna start a blog…"

"Lucrative."

"Could be, if she played her cards right." Cheering from the screen caught their attention then, but it was nothing to get excited about. Looking back over at Chris, he wondered, "Where's Brandon at?"

"Errands. He had a few things he had to pick up. He's making dinner tonight." He grinned then. "Taco night."

"He use cilantro or lettuce?"

"Hell if I know. I just know they taste good."

The front door opened then, admitting exactly who they'd been talking about. "Hey guys, you wanna help me bring the groceries in? I picked up more than I expected."

Damon dropped his beer to the table and stood up from the couch. "Hey Brand-o," he greeted, putting his shoes on. "Question. Do you use cilantro or lettuce for your tacos? Bonnie hates cilantro, but I'm of the mind that if I lie and say it's lettuce, she'll realize she's wrong."

Brandon snorted. "I use both, actually. I mix them together. Cilantro can be a little strong, the lettuce sets it off."

"Sneak it right past her.  _Perfect_ ," he said, grinning.

Shaking his head, Brandon offered, "You and Bonnie can come over for dinner tonight, if you want. More the merrier. I picked up extra."

Damon looked over to Chris curiously, but when he shrugged, Damon said, "Sure. Sounds good to me. This way if she doesn't like it, it's not on me. I'll call her, see if she's up for it. Is there anything we can bring?"

"More beer," Chris told him.

"Sold."

* * *

**…**

* * *

Damon loved Sundays.

He wasn't quite sure why it had become one of their  _things_  except that neither of them complained about it. Sundays meant sleeping in, a favorite pastime of his. But it also meant having Bonnie all to himself for a couple sleepy hours. One could make an argument that he got Bonnie to himself quite a lot, but this was different. In that half-awake, half-asleep plain they existed on, their guards were down. He didn't hesitate, putting his arms around her, drawing her close, their legs tangled together. He could feel her breath, warm on his chest, her fingers lightly skimming over his side or his back, never in any set pattern, just always moving, touching, stretching and reaching.

This was his escape. A brief moment in time where he didn't second guess himself, didn't wonder how his feelings for her could have grown so much without him even knowing. And they had. Maybe they always were. But from the moment they'd arrived in this magicless, painless world, something had shifted. He got to see Bonnie in a completely different light. He watched her break down and pull herself back together, he saw her work herself to the bone and realize how important her own value was. He was there for her when she cried herself to sleep, missing their friends and family. He held her hand through the patches and the good moments and right on through as they found their footing and made a life for themselves.

Nothing scared him as much as that day he came home and she wouldn't wake up, laying on the couch, exhausted, the whole day passing by and little more than a twitch from her. Realizing she was ready to push herself to the brink to get him home was an eye-opening experience. Damon could count on one hand how many times people willingly put him before themselves. He'd gotten good at being selfish, since nobody ever saw fit to put him first. Knowing that Bonnie was one of the few was more humbling than he'd expected. She was strong. One of the strongest people he knew, powers or not. Emotionally, mentally, spiritually, Bonnie put the rest of them to shame. And he admired that. He admired her for a lot of reasons, but that ranked high.

Falling for her wasn't in the plan.

Truth be told, he wasn't even sure he had a plan. His world went dark, then white, then lit right up and gave him something he'd never been prepared for. And now that he had it, now that he was ready to  _keep_ it, he was waking himself up to a few things. The life he wanted now, the life he had, was amazing, and there was only one more thing that could make it perfect. Not perfect in that way he'd always thought he wanted, where he ignored the cracks and the splinters and the incompatibilities. Not perfect like he blinded himself with obsession and let everything else burn in his quest to  _possess_ someone. Perfect like it was imperfect. Perfect in the way they argued and disagreed and stood on their own two feet, individual, made of everything they were, good and bad. Perfect in their contrasts, in their opposite opinions and actions, in the balance they found. He didn't expect her to fill up the parts of him that felt empty. He didn't expect her to live up to the image of someone he'd loved more than a century and a half ago. He expected her to be herself, whatever that meant.

Her eyes were barely open, a sleepy smile turned up her lips, where the crust of dried drool lingered. Her hair was wrapped and her morning breath no doubt stunk. Her lips were a little chapped and the placed she'd elbowed him in the night still smarted. But she was still the most beautiful thing he had in his life. The most beautiful face he'd ever woken up to. The most beautiful voice he'd ever heard, even when she was nagging and complaining and saying his name in that warning, exasperated way of hers. She was beautiful and imperfect and entirely unexpected in every way.

He stroked his finger over the arch of her cheek, his mouth turning up when her nose wrinkled at the ticklish sensation. His fingers skimmed down her neck and around to her nape, gently kneading, watching as she hummed happily and arched her back, leaning into him. Her head fell forward and she snuggled in closer, resting her forehead on his chest while her hand slid up his back, tucked under the fabric of his shirt, fingertips digging into his skin. He wondered sometimes, if she had any idea the effect she had on him, but he didn't imagine she did. For all that Bonnie was smart, she could be completely blind to what was going on right in front of her.

Maybe that was partly his fault. Maybe they'd spent so much time getting closer that him reaching out, him trying to make his intentions known, were too similar to what they were always like. He'd always been a physical person, and he'd been extra affectionate with her for years now. She was all he had and he'd clung to that, he realized that now. But this was different. This was bred of that, yes, but of all the things before too. Of the hate and the rage and the distrust that had enveloped them for the two years they'd spent in a battle of wills. It was born of sacrifice and selfish obligation to people who weren't there now. He wasn't forgetting or rewriting their past, that wouldn't do them any good. But he was growing. And so was she. Maybe it would take time for her to look at him the way he did her. He could wait. He could be patient. In the meantime, he could do everything in his power to show her that he could be good for her. He could love her the way she deserved.

Rubbing his hand down her arm, he squeezed lightly, and then closed his eyes, content to enjoy the rest of their morning wrapped up each other.

* * *

**…**

* * *

Bonnie grinned as she watched Damon and Mina circle each other down on the beach. Damon was holding Mina's favorite ball just out of reach, teasing her, laughing as she leapt up to try and grab it from his hand. Curled up in a worn, wooden chair, her legs tucked under her and a throw blanket over her lap, Bonnie held a mug of hot coffee between her hands as she watched them, a warm fondness flooding her chest.

After working overtime the last few weeks, Damon had wanted some time off, so Bonnie had called in a favor and asked if they could borrow Danny's cabin for the week-long vacation they were taking. She was happy to spend it watching Damon and Mina chase each other all over the place, which was exactly what they did for the most part. Damon dragged out the barbecue to cook them dinner, spoiling Mina with scraps. In the mornings he went for a jog around the lake, Mina keeping up beside him. Bonnie preferred swimming, especially when the beach was still empty and the water still. It was peaceful.

As Damon started back up the beach toward the cabin, he tossed the ball for Mina to chase after, her tongue lolling out of her mouth as she ran across the green grass, sniffing out her ball.

Damon came to a stop just in front of Bonnie on the cabin porch, his bare feet covered in sand, water dripping down his legs, his hair more than a little wild, and a happy flush to his cheeks. He was beautiful. He always had been, but in that moment he was ridiculously stunning. Her breath caught in her throat as she stared up at him.

"You having fun up here?" he asked, flopping down in the chair beside her and stacking his hands on his stomach.

"Tons."

He raised an eyebrow over at her. "What're you reading?" he wondered, looking down at the closed book on the table between them.

She shook her head. "I brought that out for you."

Damon turned it over and skimmed a few pages, his mouth turning up. "More poetry… You're getting to be an addict, Bon-Bon."

Bonnie rolled her eyes, her mouth turned up at the corners. Her attention was drawn to the floor of the porch as Mina flopped down, laying her stomach on Bonnie's toes as she panted, her ball rolling out of her mouth and toward Damon.

Bonnie let the stillness of the moment sink into her skin. She closed her eyes and focused on the heat filling her hands from her coffee, the aroma of it mixing with the earth and the nearby water. She let the steady thumping of Mina's heart against her feet lull her into comfort. She forgot about work, about home, about the intricately woven  _other_ world they lived in. All she knew was that moment, of her and Damon and Mina, in a cabin in the woods, isolated but not alone, warm and content.

She lived for these moments. Where everything else faded and left only them. Like their Sunday mornings and their dancing and their late-night walks through the quiet town. There was just something about them that made each moment feel like it was carved out for only them, like the world bent to accommodate them, time slowing down and sound fading. In times like these, she could lose herself in Damon's hand folded with hers, in the way his body leaned into hers, like it expected to find its equal to meet him halfway, in the air that circulated between them, shared. Even with the little space between them now, she still felt close to him.

His voice reached across to her, low and heavy, his tone rich with something she'd done a good job of ignoring for a while now. But his words wrapped themselves around her, dug in through her chest and burrowed into her heart; waking, stirring, inciting.

 _In my sky at twilight you are a cloud_  
and your form and colour are the way I love them.  
You are mine, mine, woman with sweet lips  
and in your life my infinite dreams live.

 _The lamp of my soul dyes your feet._  
My sour wine is sweeter on your lips,  
oh reaper of my evening song,  
how solitary dreams believe you to be mine!

 _You are mine, mine, I go shouting it to the afternoon's_  
wind, and the wind hauls on my widowed voice.  
Huntress of the depths of my eyes, your plunder  
stills your nocturnal regard as though it were water.

 _You are taken in the net of my music, my love,_  
and my nets of music are wide as the sky.  
My soul is born on the shore of your eyes of mourning.  
In your eyes of mourning the land of dreams begins.

When she opened her eyes, she didn't look at him right away, letting his words linger in her ears, letting them settle inside her.

"Are you hungry?" he asked, closing the book and putting it aside. He stood from his chair then and moved to stand in front of her.

She raised her head, leaning it back against the chair, and stared up at him, examining every inch of his handsome face.

He bent then and her heart went still as she felt his breath warm against her lips. Her gaze fell to his mouth, heat simmering just under her skin. He tipped his head to the side, bypassing her mouth, though she felt just the faintest brush of his top lip touch her bottom. And then his lips were pressing a kiss to her cheek. Lingering there, making it feel like it lasted much longer than the scant three seconds it was. The pressure felt good, like it reached far beyond her cheek. And she found herself wondering what he might do, what  _she_ might do, if she turned her head just a little and let his lips skim over her own, if she let herself sip at his mouth, nibble and suck at his lips, her teeth digging in just enough to stake a claim. But then his mouth was gone, out of reach, and he said, "I'm going to make you something."

She hummed, and watched, from the corner of her eyes, as he left, Mina quick at his heels.

Her eyes moved back out toward the lake then and she slumped a little lower in her chair, sipping at her coffee. One of her hands found her cheek, her fingers ducking toward her lips, and she realized with a tidal wave of finality that what she felt wasn't simple at all.

* * *

**…**

* * *

Bonnie paced the length of her living room floor, her hands wringing, while Naomi watched her, more than a little amused. Her mouth tilted in a faint smile as she kept track of Bonnie's hurried steps.

"Ready to talk about it yet?"

How was she supposed to explain this? So far as Naomi was concerned, Bonnie and Damon had been together seven years. Why would she find it at all surprising that Bonnie was… That she felt… That her heart…

"Is this about Damon?" Naomi wondered curiously.

Bonnie stiffened, biting her lip.

"You had a nice time at the cabin, I take it?"

"Mm-hmm." She nodded her head jerkily. "It was great. Quiet and peaceful. Exactly what we needed."

"I take it something happened though… Something that's got you jumpy."

"I… It's complicated. And confusing. I don't… I'm not sure how to explain it." She ran her hands over her face and pushed them back through her hair. She wasn't sure how she was supposed to explain any of the last five years without sounding like she'd been lying from the get-go. Naomi was one of her closest friends. And she'd kept this from her. From all of them. Because it was easier, and she hadn't been sure what was going on in the beginning, if they might have a chance to go home. So it just made sense to go along with the pre-made life they'd been given. But now it was complicated.  _Really_ complicated. And she didn't have Caroline or Elena to talk it over with. So…

Taking a deep breath, she said, "Damon and I… We… I…" She shook her head. Where did she start? What could she say that would make sense? "Ugh, this is so screwed up. None of it was supposed to be like this. This wasn't what I expected when Grams' said I'd find peace. I thought white lights and fluffy clouds and, I don't know, harps or something. Not… Not this. This was never in the plan.  _He_ was never in the plan. And now… Now I…"

"Now you're fallen in love with him, and you have no idea what you're supposed to do. After all, your relationship has been platonic since you got here. Sure, you played at more and you flirted, but that was all an act. The truth is, all you had was each other, so you held on tightly, and now you realize you held on  _too_ tight, and you're not sure you want to let go."

Bonnie stood completely still, her eyes wide, and then she turned around, looking at Naomi searchingly. "I…  _How?_ How did you…?"

Naomi offered a faint smile. "Because I died. I  _know_ I died. And from what I can tell, you and Damon are the only other two who've figured that out. You were pretty good at hiding it, but there were a few tells, especially in the beginning."

Mouth gaping a little, she shook her head. "Why didn't you say anything?"

She shrugged. "You weren't ready to talk. You were still getting used to it. For all I knew, you liked it how it was, you didn't want to disrupt it. I know the feeling. I had my children with me, I was willing to do anything to keep them that way."

"That must've been hard for you too though…" Bonnie worried.

"It was, but it's okay now. I'm happy with my life; it's much better now than it was when I was alive." Naomi smiled and leaned forward in her seat. "Look, I didn't tell you so we could commiserate, although we can, after. Right now, I want you to tell me about what happened that's got you so skittish. Clearly something was said or done that's making you look ready to run, so what is it?"

Bonnie blew out a long breath, her head still more than a little distracted with what she'd learned. And she did want to know more, about the how or why of this world, if Naomi knew those answers. But, they had time for that, so maybe, for once, she could be a little selfish and just deal with her current issue. "I have feelings for Damon. Feelings I've tried really hard to ignore.  _Deep_ feelings."

Naomi waited patiently for her to get it all out.

"I… Before. Before we came here, we weren't close. We were only kind of friends, mostly out of necessity. To be honest, we would have happily sacrificed each other any day of the week. Or, at least, that's what I always thought. But being here… Relying on each other,  _trusting_ each other, it… We were all we had. And he is so… ugh, infuriating sometimes. He drives me crazy. But somehow, I don't know, over time that became weirdly  _endearing_. And after a while, it became something I liked, something I  _wanted_ in my life, and now I can't imagine my life without it… without  _him_. Which is simultaneously crazy and yet…  _not_." She twisted her hands together. "Damon is… abrupt and unapologetic and cunning. He—He's sarcastic and arrogant and passionate and loyal. He'd do anything for the people he loves, sometimes things I can't get behind, and other times things I could never do myself but know, in their own way, are still the right thing to do. The necessary thing to do. He… He pushes me and argues with me and even after our worst fight, he'd still walk to the ends of the earth for me. I know that. I… I know that he loves me. What I don't know, what I'm  _scared_ to know, is whether he's  _in_  love with me. Or if he could be. Or even if I  _want_ him to. Because that's all I keep asking myself. Does it make sense, is it worth risking everything for, is it even  _possible_ …? And I don't know. I don't… I have no idea, but part of me wants to. Part of me wakes up in the morning and all it wants is to kiss him. I don't know what to do about that."

Naomi nodded slowly and reached for Bonnie's hand, tugging on it and leading her over to take a seat on the couch beside her. "I'm going to give you some advice that my grandmother gave to me when I wasn't much older than you."

"Okay."

"You can spend your life dreaming and wanting, or you can spend your life  _doing_. Doing doesn't promise good things. It doesn't promise the result you want. But it does promise you won't look back in ten or twenty years and wonder what could have been if you'd only tried. You and Damon, you might not be meant for more than friends, I can't promise that it won't end in disaster. I can't promise that you won't fall in love only to eventually fall out of love. Nobody can promise you that. But I do know what I've seen. I know that he adores you, that he would do anything to make you happy, that he lights up as soon as he sees you, and that you, Bonnie, are the exact same when it comes to him." She smiled at her gently. "If you want my advice, don't hold back. This is our one, and possibly  _only_ , chance at getting life right, the way we want and deserve. I don't know what happens if we die again. But I do know this. I will do everything in my power to be happy, to make my kids happy, and I think you should do the same."

Bonnie let her words fill her, she let them roll around in her head. She let her heart thump wildly in her chest with the possibility of what it could mean. And then she offered Naomi a hopeful smile and said, "You're right."

Just then, the front door opened, and Damon stepped into the house, a happy Mina by his side. He raised his head and grinned at Bonnie, a lopsided smile that made her heart flutter.

Letting out a faint sigh, she smiled back at him, and hoped she was making the right choice. Because, whatever happened, she didn't want to lose him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i know you guys were hoping for a kiss, and technically, there was one when he kissed her shoulder, because that was the first kiss between them that wasn't strictly platonic. that said, however, you will get one next chapter that is a lot more... passionate. this chapter was meant to highlight the development of their feelings. as you can see, damon's already come to his conclusion, but he's being careful, testing the waters to see how bonnie feels and what she'd be open to. he's also leaving not so subtle hints in terms of the poem. bonnie has only just finally realized what all of her feelings really meant and needed some advice from someone she trusted.
> 
> which, brings me to a mystery solved! naomi remembers dying (that will be explained more next chapter) which means *drum roll* yes, the people in this world are (mostly) dead. i say mostly 'cause there's a catch with one particular person in this world, besides damon and bonnie, but you won't find out who or why until the end. in any case, the people on this side died and they've been collected in this little slice of peace.
> 
> i'm excited we're getting to the romance now, the real romance, because you have no idea how hard it is to write this close relationship between them and not get really intimate. like i've had to delete parts where damon's hands wander because it was too close for friends. but we're getting their now. so much cuteness and hotness to come, i hope you're ready.
> 
> thank you all so much for reading, i'm deeply sorry for the long wait, though look how long this chapter was, so maybe that compensates? i'll try to update sooner, i've just been busy with my finals and pissed over the latest ep of tvd (damn you for everybody screwing over bonnie, but also thank you for damon's sincere concern for her).
> 
> poem was: in my sky at twilight by pablo neruda.
> 
> please leave a review!
> 
> - **lee | fina**


	8. better than

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **faceclaim** : [C A S T](http://sarcasticfina.tumblr.com/eternity)

**VIII**.

* * *

**FIVE AND A 1/2 YEARS**

* * *

For the record, Damon used to be good at this 'romancing' stuff. Sure, it took him a while to get Elena to see the light, but the point was she  _did_. And there were women before her; he had a hundred and forty-five years to waste, women came and went, sometimes literally, sometimes they stuck around for a few weeks. All right, so admittedly long-term relationships weren't his forte. But he was changing that. And things with Bonnie were different; they had a solid five years of friendship built up between them, that was the kind of foundation he could really work with. He knew Bonnie. What she liked, what she did for fun, what her ticks were, what she would put up with and what she would never let pass. He'd spent so much time with her, had seen her at her best and worst, had been the target of her rage and her comfort; by now, he could write a book on her. A best seller, too.

The tricky part with wooing his favorite little witch was that they'd reached a point in their friendship where distinguishing his actions as romantic rather than friendly was becoming more difficult than he expected. He'd been affectionate with her for so long, that she didn't blink at the little touches, the prolonged hugs, the way he held onto her or cuddled her. And flirting was one of his natural settings, so when he did it with her, she either ignored him or played along. Which left him in a conundrum. How was he supposed to show her things were different, that he wanted more, without scaring her off? He couldn't be too obvious, couldn't jump in with both feed forward, even if that had always been his MO, because this was  _Bonnie_. They had history, not all of it good, but enough of it that she would spook, want to do the 'right' thing and not complicate their relationship. She was too noble, too self-sacrificing, she'd probably throw Jeremy and Elena in it too, just to light the 'we shouldn't' fire. He didn't want that. He didn't want to play the pro-con game with her when she would already have it in her head that being together would be wrong, or only end in disaster.

No. Instead, he was going to be sneaky about it. Just a little less sneaky than usual. He would have to get her to fall in love with him without even realizing that was what she was doing. Which meant he'd have to step up his game just subtly enough that she knew he was being romantic without being  _too_ romantic. Which complicated things, because usually when he was making a game plan Bonnie was the one who helped him figure it out. Oh, he could get the brass tacks down fine, but she always swept in with a little finesse to make sure things went smoothly.

That was really just a tick toward a relationship; once again, she balanced him out. The calm to his storm.

Unless they were out of ice cream; in which case,  _Bonnie_ was the storm.

"Damon! I know I left a pint of Ben and Jerry's in the freezer."

He frowned, eyes turned off to the side. Yeah, he ate that. "Uh… No, I think you ate that. You remember that one night, with the wine, and you had a long day at work…"

Ducking her head into the garage, she raised an eyebrow. "Be a little more vague, I might just believe you."

He grinned at her and then dropped his gaze down to the dog between them, her tail wagging cheerfully. "Back me up here, Mina. Mommy ate all of her ice cream, didn't she?"

Mina, excited by the attention, walked over to him, rubbing against his leg and panting.

"See. Definitely happened." He pointed a wrench at Bonnie. " _But_ , because I like you, I'll go pick you up some more. We need more milk anyway."

"Uh-huh." She crossed her arms over her chest. "I don't want Chunky Monkey though."

"Then why were you complaining I—" He paused. "I mean,  _you_ ate it…"

Bonnie rolled her eyes. "I was going to eat it when it was all I had. Now I have options. Chubby Hubby."

"Excuse you." He frowned. "That was rude."

Snorting, she bit her lip to hide her amusement. "Damon, I meant the ice cream."

"Oh. Well, fine. But my feelings are still hurt."

Shaking her head, she walked down the single stair to the basement. "Yeah?" She reached for him, her arms wrapping around his waist. "Which one?"

"All of them," he said, tipping his head down to look at her. "You should kiss it better."

She hummed. "That's a lot of feelings to kiss."

Tapping her nose, he told her, "Sure, but it's the right thing to do."

Grinning, she leaned forward, pressing a kiss to his chest, right over his heart. And then she rested her chin on his chest. "Better?"

"Be better with ice cream."

"You better go get us some then." Releasing him, she stepped back. "You should take Mina; she needs a walk."

"Oh, so now I have to get it at the corner store," he complained. "They charge twice as much as the grocery store."

Laughing to herself, she walked back to the garage door, saying, "Okay, Old Man Salvatore. Try not to pinch those pennies too much."

"You're a small business owner, Bon. We have to be  _thrifty_."

Scrunching her nose up at him, she said, "Say that again when you don't still have a classic car out here that doesn't run."

"I  _told_  you… She runs. She just needs paint."

"So what's that wrench for then?"

"Aesthetic. I'm trying to work the hot mechanic look." He leaned back against the car and smirked at her, wiggling his eyebrows. "Is it working?"

"It'd work better with—"

"Ice cream," he sighed, dropping his head back. "Fine. We're going." He whistled to get Mina's attention. "Walk?"

Hopping up excitedly, Mina started running around in circles.

Bonnie walked over to the closet and grabbed out the leash before bringing it back and holding it out for him.

Taking it, he hooked it around Mina's collar and gave Bonnie a nod. "You coming?"

Shaking her head, she said, "No way, I'm in my lazy pants."

His mouth twitched as he glanced at her favorite sweatpants. "You mean your cute and housebound pants?"

"Exactly." She was about to turn around, but brightened up and added, "See if they have any whipped cream."

Damon smirked. "Why? And make it naughty."

"Because we're out. And I want pancakes tomorrow. I picked up blueberries, but I forgot to grab whipped cream."

He frowned at her. "That wasn't naughty at all. I'm extremely disappointed in you." He started toward the front of the garage, the door raised. "Anything else?"

"No, I'm good."

He grinned back at her, "As you wish, Little Bird." With a wink, he turned and started jogging down the driveway, Mina keeping up beside him.

* * *

**…**

* * *

"Like, remembers her whole life and everything?"

Bonnie nodded, leaning against the doorway as Damon brushed his teeth, toothpaste dribbling down his chin a little. "Yeah, I meant to tell you earlier, I've just been distracted." Thinking about how she had feelings for him, and having no idea what to do about them. "Anyway, she told me she died the same day we did. She woke up with a house and her kids and Annette calling her to carpool. She's just kind of gone with it, same as us, ever since."

"Huh." He stared off thoughtfully, pausing to spit out a gob of white toothpaste. "You know what this means?"

She nodded slowly. "That there might be others that know too."

"Sure, that. But this means it's permanent."

She frowned. "How?"

"Think about. It's probably just like what you were saying when we had that meteor shower. There's pocket towns all over the place, a little second chance at life kind of heaven. Everybody who died the same day as us were probably scattered around in places like this. Sucks we didn't get some Maui-reject instead of Small Town, USA."

Bonnie paused, her eyes on the floor. "How does that make it permanent though?"

He rinsed his toothbrush off and tossed it in the cup beside hers. Crossing the space between them, he took her by the hips and pulled her forward a few inches so they were better facing each other. "Bon, Sheila said you would be at peace. What if she knew there were places like this and she made it so instead of oblivion, instead of not existing at all, anywhere, she just made sure we went here instead. One way ticket to paradise. We thought, when she said peace, she meant there'd be a loophole, that there might be a way to go back, but what if it's the opposite. What if peace is death? Think about it, we're in the safest place ever. There's almost no crime, the worst we have to deal with is a racist old lady who, frankly, I  _enjoy_  annoying at this point." He stared down at her searchingly. "Maybe your grimoire wasn't a sign to get your magic back, maybe it was just a memento of your family. We came here with nothing of our own, and she just wanted you have something to remember her by."

Bonnie's eyes burned. "You think?"

He kissed her forehead before pressing his own to hers and sighing. "Look, I don't know what it means. I do know that these people weren't just magicked into existence. They were alive and now they're not. I'm guessing Naomi isn't a witch, but she remembers too, so we're not different, we're not special, there's no loophole. I don't know what that means later. If, in fifty years, we can still bite the big one, or if we just reboot, start this all over again, or go to some other isolated town somewhere. But at least this way you don't need to take a crack at magic again. No more exhausting yourself. No more wondering."

She nodded, swallowing tightly. "Yeah. Maybe you're right."

He half-smirked then. "Course I am. Haven't you learned anything after all this time? I'm always right."

She raised an eyebrow then. "Always right?"

"Uh-huh."

"Damon, I can name three times, right now, that you were absolutely wrong."

"Three? That's all you got?" he teased.

"One…"

She knew he was trying to distract her, but she let him. It was a difficult situation. As much as she had somewhat accepted that their life there was in a state of possible permanency, it came with so many uncertainties. Did that mean pursuing him was okay? That, because they would never be getting home, he would have a real chance of getting over Elena? Did that mean she would never,  _ever_ see her best friends again, and was she okay with that? Did that mean that loving this life, enjoying it, didn't have to make her guilty anymore?

Maybe. Maybe to all of the above.

* * *

**…**

* * *

"Hey Bon, what are we doing for Halloween this year?" Damon wondered, looking up from the newspaper, his brow furrowed.

Bonnie paused in spreading apricot jam over her toast. "Isn't Danny having his party?"

"Yeah, but what are we going as?"

She rolled her eyes. "Damon, every time I try to think up awesome joint outfits, you decide at the last minute to go as a 'classic bad boy' character."

He pursed his lips. "Do not."

"Last year you were Danny Zuko. Which would've been fine, except you didn't tell me until three days before the party, so I couldn't dress up as Sandy."

"That's a lie. You have black hot pants," he reminded.

"Hey, Sandy wore the hot pants for  _good_ Danny, not bad boy Danny."

He waved it off. "Technicalities."

Snorting, she rolled her eyes. "You just want me to wear hot pants."

He smirked then. "True."

Clucking her tongue, she said, "And the year before that you put on that awful red hat, stole one of Peter's cigarette's, and told everybody you were Holden Caulfield."

He shrugged, smiling at the memory. "That was a pretty accurate outfit, minus the hair."

"Year before that, you were James Bond and you filled that water gun with vodka."

"I shared that vodka with everyone," he defended.

"You sprayed unsuspecting people in the face with it."

"In the general direction of their mouths," he corrected.

"And our first Halloween you were Dally from The Outsiders, which was probably your most accurate outfit."

"Okay, A) I asked you to be my Johnny, so that shouldn't even be on the list. And B) that wasn't technically our first Halloween, that was just the first time we dressed up and went to the party. The first Halloween, you handed out candy to annoying kids."

"While you tried to scare them every time you opened the door."

"I had to get my kicks somewhere," he mused. "I was still coming down from not being a vampire."

"That's no excuse."

"It wasn't an excuse, it was a fact."

She sighed. " _Damon_."

"Look, fine, yes, I know I always screw up our outfits, but this is me actively participating in  _picking_ the outfits. You wanted us to go as Fred and Wilma Flintstone one year. I can't pull off caveman, Bonnie."

"No, you can't  _bowl_. You  _are_ a caveman." Taking a bite of her toast, she asked, "So? What costumes are you suggesting then?"

"Batman and Catwoman," he tossed out.

"No."

He pouted. "Why?"

"Because, the party's always packed. I'm not wearing leather all night. I'll sweat and it will chafe."

He sighed, long and disappointed. "Fine."

"What about Rocky Horror Picture Show?" She grinned. "You have the legs for it."

"I do," he agreed. "But I don't wanna be in heels all night. Marilyn Monroe and Elvis!"

"Mmm… maybe. Uhura and Spock."

"Nerd. Are you going to complain if I don't do my eyebrows like his?" he wondered.

"They're a defining feature!"

He grumbled disagreeably. "What about that frog princess you like?"

"Tiana and Naveen…" She tipped her head thoughtfully.

A horn honked outside and Damon sighed, folding up his newspaper. "We'll talk about it after work." He circled the table and bent to kiss her cheek. "Don't work too hard." He grabbed his lunch and his jacket and was just walking out the door before he paused suddenly. Inspired, he looked back and said, "Morticia and Gomez Addams."

Bonnie looked over, surprised, and then grinned. "Deal."

At another horn honk, he rolled his eyes, pressed his fingers to his lips, kissed them, and waved. "We'll talk details later. Have a good day!"

* * *

**…**

* * *

Bonnie honestly didn't recognize him at first. She was finishing up a sale with a customer and had waved politely as a new one stepped inside and soon began browsing around. Bonnie left Annette to go and engage him, offer to show him around, find something specific, etcetera. So it was a little while later, after Annette came back and whispered that he was cute, that Bonnie finally noticed him again, as he was coming up to pay.

"Half-off candles today, right?"

"It is, yeah," she said, looking up to smile. She paused and her smile widened into a grin. "[Caleb](http://oi58.tinypic.com/55ntys.jpg), right?"

He nodded. "Bonnie?"

"That's me."

"You have a nice shop." He took a look around and placed the candles on the counter in front of her. "Have you had it long?"

"A little over five and a half years. I moved here from New York," she said.

"New York, wow. What made you move out here?"

"I grew up in a small town, so it was familiar." She shrugged. "It was a… complicated situation. But starting over out here ended up being a great decision. New town, new friends, new shop. Can't ask for much more."

"That's good. I've never lived in a big city; I'm a small town boy all the way. A lot of my friends traveled, moved to the city, but I stuck around. I grew up wanting to be a fireman, and started training as soon as I finished high school. Now here I am, still fighting the good fight."

"A fireman, wow. That must be… terrifying. And gratifying, I guess."

"Both." He nodded. "But I like it. Saving lives, I think it adds something to mine. Growing up, my mom always taught me to be to think of others, put myself in their shoes, and I guess that's just ingrained."

"There weren't any less deadly jobs you could get into? Ones that didn't involve risking your life."

He chuckled, shrugging. "Probably."

"So a thrill seeker…" she deduced, looking him over. "What else do you do?"

"Uh, well, I volunteer a lot. Fish, hike, I like being in nature."

"Same," she agreed. "I don't know, I've always felt better when I was outside. Naomi and I hike a lot. Maybe we'll run into you sometime."

"Naomi?" he asked, looking curious.

"My best friend, and store manager, but she's not in today. Her son has a cold."

"Ah, kids." He nodded, scratching his fingers over his chin. "I don't have any myself."

"Me neither. I think Mina's enough of a handful," she said, looking over to see Mina snoring away on her bed, her leg randomly twitching.

The bell above the door rang then, signaling another customer. Bonnie looked around Caleb to the door and waved. "Arthur, hey. We just got a shipment in… Just give me a second to finish this up and I'll be right with you."

"Thanks, Bonnie," he said, moving to the aisle to look at a few things.

Turning back to Caleb, she grinned. "All right, let's see how much you saved on your candle shopping today." She looked over the collection in front of her, smiling as she saw a single cinnamon amongst the rest. "You really wanted a variety, huh?"

He grinned at her, looking a little flushed, and rubbed the back of his neck. "What can I say? I'm a man who loves a deal."

She smiled and rang him up.

When he had his bagged candles, receipt and change in hand, she walked with him toward the door. "It was good seeing you, Caleb."

"You too. I might have to stop in more often," he replied.

"That'd be great. Have a good afternoon."

"Thanks. See you, Bonnie." He stepped outside, waving at her through the window as he walked away.

Bonnie waved back before making her way over to Arthur to give him a hand.

* * *

**…**

* * *

Bonnie closed her menu and put it down on the table as the waitress left. She smiled at Kayla sitting across from her. "So? How are the college classes going?"

Kayla shrugged. "I don't know. All right, I guess. I always kind of imagined I'd get out of town, travel the world, but… here I am, going to community college." She frowned. "Not what I was expecting."

"Well, maybe you can travel after." Bonnie squirmed a little in her seat; it was always hard to discuss leaving the town with Kayla, since she always seemed so hopeful about doing just that. In fact, she was the only one who ever mentioned getting out of town, the others always changed the subject when it was brought up or they got a weird, glossy look in their eyes. Briefly, Bonnie had to wonder if maybe Kayla was like Naomi; maybe she knew she'd died and was aware that the town was something else. She wasn't sure though, and she didn't want to ask just in case she was wrong. "And college is just a stepping stone, right?"

"To what though?" Kayla shook her head. "I mean, I'm taking all these classes, but I don't even know what I'm trying to do. I thought for a while that maybe I wanted to write, like books or something. Or maybe become a journalist, start writing columns for the only newspaper around here," she scoffed.

"There's nothing wrong with either of those. You're a good writer, I've read your essays."

"Right, but… Don't I need experience? I mean, what am I going to write about here? Nothing ever happens."

"Not true. Leslie Proctor shoved Ina Winters into the mall fountain last week," Bonnie told her lightheartedly.

Rolling her eyes, Kayla stifled a smile and said, "Front page news. That'll really get me closer to a Pulitzer."

"Kay," she said gently, "everybody starts somewhere. Experience doesn't have to be global, it can happen exactly where you are. You learn from everything you're doing, every mistake you make, every person you meet."

"Right, but what if I meet the same people, over and over? What if I never get out of his this bubble, you know? I mean, don't get me wrong. I'm happy with some things. I have Lisa now, and I love working for you, and my parents and I have been getting along better than usual. But at the same time it's just… It's like something's missing, and I think if I could just get out of town for a while and break that cycle, maybe I could find out what it is."

Bonnie nodded. "I get it. Monotony gets to all of us. Just don't sell yourself short. Once you get into that way of thinking, it can spiral. Focus on the stuff you do have." She smiled then. "Speaking of Lisa, how is that going?"

Kayla lit up then, her worries of before melting away. "Well, in a word?  _Amazing_. She's just… She's so smart and funny and ugh, when we kiss it's like… fireworks, you know?"

"I'm happy for you. You and Lisa are great together."

Kayla shrugged, but her cheeks were a little flushed. "I'm going to do something really embarrassing right now and admit that I didn't know I liked girls until I started getting a crush on you." She closed one eye and winced. "I know, it's weird, but… You were the first person who really talked to me like I was a person, you know? Not like I was some dumb kid. And it was… It was totally misplaced. I mean, yeah, I thought you were really pretty and smart and I felt something. But it was kind of one of those first crush things. I mean, now, I probably think of you more like a cool aunt. But in the beginning, yeah, I totally had a crush on you. And that opened my eyes a lot. Not just about how I liked girls, but other things too. Like school and how I felt about myself and just… everything. You really helped me get my head on straight. I know I'm not perfect now, but I'm figuring things out. So, thank you, I guess. Even if I totally just weirded you out."

"No, it's fine. I… I kind of suspected. We've all had crushes like that." She shrugged. "It's not embarrassing. I think I'm a little flattered."

Kayla laughed lightly. "Well, good. I mean, I'm over it. But I still don't want you to feel uncomfortable or anything."

She shook her head. "I don't. Trust me, I've had a few crushes I'm glad never got out, and other that I really wish I could take back. But there were a few that were just kind of stepping stones. Sometimes you're crushing on the way someone thinks or the feeling isn't romantic at all and it's just this overwhelming sensation of gratitude that gets mixed up in your head. And sometimes it's real, sometimes you can see a whole future laid out with them, but it never happens. That's fine too. I like to think that you're looking for something in everyone you meet and every once in a while you meet someone who gives you that and all you needed was that moment. What they gave you doesn't really fade, even if the feelings do."

Nodding slowly, Kayla smiled. "I like that."

The waitress returned then with their appetizer, and soon the conversation turned to more lighthearted topics.

* * *

**…**

* * *

"Why are we going to Bingo?" Damon wondered, his lip curled. "I know I'm old, but I'm not  _that_ old."

With a snort, Bonnie rolled her eyes back at him through the vanity mirror. "You are  _too_ that old. You're  _older_. And we're going because Annette asked us to. All of tonight's proceeds are going to charity."

"Why can't I just donate money and stay in then?" he wondered, scrubbing his fingers over Mina's head as she laid on the bed beside him while he laid on his back.

"Because, we're not hermits." Standing from her seat, she smoothed out her skirt. "How do I look?"

"Gorgeous," he said, staring at the ceiling.

" _Damon_ , you didn't even look."

" _Bonnie_ … You always look gorgeous," he dismissed.

Crossing the room, she crawled onto the bed on her knees and laid down on her stomach beside him. "What's up? You're moody."

"I'm not moody.  _You're_ moody."

Bonnie sighed, raising an eyebrow, and turned over onto her side. She reached for him, laying her palm on his chest over his heart. "Are you not feeling okay? Was work long? Did you and Chris fight? Or Danny?"

"I have other friends," he defended.

"I know. But you spend most of your time with them."

She shifted up the bed a little more, so her face was level with his. He reached over, putting an arm around her and holding her to him loosely. His hand ran up and down her side absently.

"You wanna talk about it?" she wondered quietly.

He turned to look at her, his eyes searching her face. "No." He skimmed his fingers up to her shoulder and squeezed. "No, I'm just tired. I just wanted to stay in tonight, cuddle on the couch. But it's okay." He half-smiled at her. "We haven't been out in a while. And you have your good earrings on."

"My 'good' earrings?" she asked, reaching up to touch her ear, her brow furrowed.

"Uh-huh." He grinned then. "Those are the earrings you wear when we go somewhere fancy and you want to dress up."

"You got me these for Christmas three years ago," she reminded.

"I know." He leaned over and kissed her forehead. "Come on. I'll shower and get dressed. We're going to tear it up at Bingo night." He pushed up from the bed then and started for the door. "Pick out something to bring with us for a good luck charm. We'll make it a  _thing_." He flashed his eyes back at her widely and smiled before walking out, making his way to the bathroom.

Bonnie smiled to herself for a moment, playing with her earring, before finally rolling off the bed. She paused to kiss Mina's head. "Too bad we can't bring you, huh. But, since you've been extra good, why don't we go get you a treat? Does that sound good?"

Mina perked up, hopping off the bed to follow her out to the kitchen, sitting pretty as Bonnie searched out the box of treats in the pantry. Of which she probably gave Mina entirely too many. As much as she complained Damon spoiled Mina, she knew she did it too. She was just smart enough not to do it anywhere Damon would see. While she made her do tricks —lay down, shake a paw, sit pretty, play dead— she lost track of time.

Bonnie had just balanced a treat on Mina's snout when the bathroom door opened and Damon stepped out, a cloud of steam following. He had a towel wrapped low around his hips and water dripped down his bare chest. Her throat went dry and, though she'd seen him shirtless more times than she could count, in that moment, having admitted to her feelings, she found herself more than a little distracted. She'd always been aware Damon was attractive. She'd been able to ignore that fact when faced with his unattractive behavior and personality. But now, knowing him as she did, seeing him standing there, half naked, it made her stomach tighten and her thighs shake.

There was a part of her, a very starved part, that wanted to just throw caution to the wind. To walk up to him, all confidence and certainty, and loosen his towel, let it fall to the floor. She wanted to follow one of those water droplets with her tongue, lick his warm, wet skin, let her hands wander down sculpted muscle and skin, memorize the ridges of his abdomen. She wanted to do a lot more than that. Let her fingers run through his wet hair as she pressed him back against the wall or down on the bed. She wanted to dig her nails into his chest as she rode him and—

Squeezing her legs closed, she bit her lip and just barely kept from fanning herself.

Mina, fed up with waiting, tossed her treat off her nose and ate it.

It wasn't until Damon walked down the hall and into their room that Bonnie got a hold of herself, and then had to open a window so her face wouldn't be too flushed by the time he came out.

* * *

**…**

* * *

The Halloween party was loud, leading them to find a corner where they could talk a little more comfortably.

Bonnie laughed, her head falling back. " _No_ … Are you serious?"

Naomi nodded. "Oh, you bet I am. The principal called me, said I had to come down right away. I thought something had happened, that she was hurt. You should've seen her. I walked in and I've never seen that girl look so smug. Kid sitting next to her had a bleeding nose. You know what she says when I see her?"

"I can guess."

"She says, 'Momma, I did what you said. I knocked the spit right outta him.'" She laughed, shaking her head. "I've never seen a person turn purple so quick. I swear, I thought her principal was going to suspend  _me_."

Bonnie bent forward, laughing thickly. When she was done, she said, "All right, that's bad, but she was defending herself."

"That little punk picked on her every day. He deserved that bloody nose."

" _Naomi_ ," Bonnie said, but her voice wasn't nearly as censuring as it could be. She couldn't help but agree. She remembered when Jasmine would come to the shop on lunch breaks, tears in her eyes over what her classmate was calling her. Naomi had tried the 'fight mean with nice' route, the 'just ignore him he'll go away' route, the 'tell an adult' route, but none of them worked. So, frustrated, she'd finally gone with a classic, and apparently Jasmine had decided to give it a try. "He probably did," she admitted.

"Don't get me wrong, I told her I was wrong and she shouldn't ever hit anybody again, but part of me was still proud. And he had it coming," Naomi said, shrugging.

Bonnie chuckled lightly. She was about to say something when she suddenly felt her arm raised and turned, half-smiling as she found Damon holding her hand. " _Cara mia_ ," he said, his mouth climbing up her sleeved arm. "I've been looking for you." He slid an arm around her waist and brought her back to his front as he kissed across her shoulder.

Leaning back against him, she grinned. "I've been here. Where were you? Are you having fun?"

"Danny's drowning himself bobbing for apples and Chris is drunkenly making out with Brandon in the gazebo. I've been left to my own devices. And you know what that leads to."

"Chaos, usually." She felt butterflies fill her as his hand spread over her stomach, fingers fanned out. "What do you want me to do about it?"

" _Danza con me, il mio tesoro,"_  he said against her ear.

Bonnie shivered. "Now in English."

He chuckled lowly, and kissed her behind her ear. He'd been doing that a lot lately, kissing her in places that weren't quite safe, but maybe just safe enough. It was giving her ideas, ideas that she both wanted to act on and was still too chicken to do anything about. Which was exactly what Naomi picked up on, since she was looking at her knowingly.

"Let's dance," he said, taking her hand once more, their fingers threading.

Bonnie looked back to Naomi, "I'll be right back."

"Mmhmm." Naomi didn't look convinced. "I know once he gets his hands on you, he's not letting you go. Any idea where Annette is?"

"With Carla in the kitchen," Damon called back, before twisting Bonnie around to face him as they walked out onto the back patio.

As Damon had mentioned, Bonnie noticed Brandon and Chris were making out in the gazebo, oblivious to anybody else around, not that it mattered since most of the people at the party were well passed drunk at this point.

She gave a little shiver as they paused in the middle of the patio. "It's a little cold out here."

The dress she was wearing covered most of her, aside from plunging neckline, but the fabric was a little thin, hugging her body, and the sleeves were gauzy with a spider web of black lace that might as well have left her arms bare, except for esthetic.

Damon tugged her in close, raising one pair of their hands in the air, their fingers folded together. "Dancing will warm you up then."

He started moving them side to side, turning them at random intervals. It was by no means a choreographed or set dance, but she was used to that. Damon was spontaneous; that was how he did just about everything. Which, if she thought about it, was a little funny, considering how very domestic their life was. Her hand rested on his shoulder while his was on her hip, occasionally sliding up to rub over her back and down her side. He was wearing a pinstriped suit, with a cigar sticking out of the front pocket, and he'd even grown in a little mustache just for the sake of his costume. She'd be glad when he shaved it off. Still, of all of their Halloween outfits, this was her favorite.

Damon ducked his head down so they were temple to temple and brought her hand in toward his chest, his thumb playing with her fingers. He stroked her back lightly, his lips brushing her ear as he hummed along with the tune of the song. Bonnie closed her eyes, following his footsteps, resting against him. He was so warm and solid and the cologne he was wearing was intoxicating, rich and spicy. "You smell good," she murmured.

He chuckled lowly, the noise rumbling from his chest, and she shivered. "You bought me this cologne."

"I know. I have great taste." She tipped her head back, her hand sliding up to the nape of his neck, squeezing lightly. "Did you have fun tonight?"

"I'm having fun now," he answered, staring down at her.

"Me too."

His mouth tipped at the corner. "You just like me kissing your arm."

She laughed, her head falling back. "It's an upside to this costume."

With a grin, he ducked his head down, brushing her hair out of the way. He pressed a kiss to the space just before the crook of her neck, still atop the fabric of her dress. " _La mia dolce_ …" Kiss. " _gentile_ …" Kiss. " _bella_ …" Kiss. "Bonnie." He raised his head, his eyes meeting hers, and then he kissed the very corner of her mouth and said, " _Tu sei la parte migliore di me_."

She stared up at him, swallowing tightly. "What'd you say?"

"The truth." He kissed her forehead and brought her back into their dance. "One more dance, and then we go make sure Danny didn't actually drown in the apple bucket."

Bonnie laughed. "Deal."

* * *

**…**

* * *

Bonnie lost her breath when she saw Carla in her wedding dress for the first time. She was beautiful and she was going to make a gorgeous bride.

Bonnie blamed her emotional state a little on the champagne they'd been drinking while she and the other bridesmaids tried on their dresses. But, in all honesty, she had a moment when she looked up at Carla, standing there in white, beaming and looking so excited, and she thought of Caroline and Elena. She thought of all the time they'd spent when they were younger, dreaming up what their weddings and husbands and dresses might look like. She remembered the elaborate wedding plans they made, about who would be maid of honor, which always resulted in a fight, and which songs they wanted to play for their first dance, which changed depending on which boy band had a hit out at the time. She thought of all those conversations and she wanted to break down. She offered a smile to anyone watching and she hugged Carla when she got emotional about her big day, but she had to excuse herself to the bathroom and cry into a roll of toilet paper.

She wouldn't be there. She wouldn't help Caroline pick her dress or help Elena with her vows or talk either of them through a last minute break down before they walked down the aisle. She wouldn't be there. And that was awful. That was heart-wrenching. Sure, vampires had an eternity, but she knew them, she knew they would meet the love of their lives and they would still want the wedding. And they would get it, she just wouldn't be a part of it.

After a few minutes, she knew she had to pull herself together, this was the wrong time for a personal crisis. So she wiped her eyes and she stepped back out, putting on a brave face and making it through the rest of the hoopla. Carla really did make a lovely bride and her wedding to Danny was going to be amazing. Still, after Bonnie's dress was picked out and she was measured and poked, Bonnie finally made it home, crawled into bed, and called Mina in to cuddle her. She was still sad, and it hurt, but it was a little cleansing too. At least they would be happy; she could comfort herself with that.

* * *

**…**

* * *

"That boy has a crush on you," Naomi said as Bonnie waved at Caleb on his way out of the store.

"No he doesn't," she denied, frowning. "He's just being friendly."

"Bonnie, honey, I don't know what you're used to back home, before all this, but that boy  _likes_  you. No guy willingly spends ten minutes hanging out in the candle aisle, asking which one's your favorite for fun. He probably has a migraine right now from all that scents he just inhaled, but he thinks it's okay because he made progress, he made you smile…" She shook her head. "I'm not saying it's a bad thing. If you like him too, then fine. But you got yourself a man at home that you  _know_ you have feelings for. So you best get that figured out first."

Bonnie's shoulders slumped. "It's not that easy."

"Do you love him?"

"I… Of course I love him," she sighed.

"Are you  _in love_ with him?"

Bonnie stared down at her hands. "I… It's complicated. Damon, he… He was in love with my best friend. I don't mean just 'in love,' I mean  _insanely_ , passionately, obsessively in love with her. It was unhealthy, but it was everything to him."

"Where is your friend?"

"She… She's alive, back home." She shrugged. "What does that have to do with anything?"

"I don't know your friend. But I know you and I know Damon. You said yourself that he's done some growing up. He's not the same as he was. He's grown up, he's moved on. He's made it clear he thinks you're here permanently, so what makes you think he's still holding on to her?"

"I… I don't know. It's just… It's always been her for him."

"Well, then it's simple."

Bonnie raised an eyebrow.

"Ask him." She shrugged. "Ask him if he's still in love with her. It doesn't have to be about you or how you feel. You don't even have to bring it up. But ask anyway. Friends do that, don't they?"

Bonnie blew out a heavy breath. "Yeah, I guess."

Naomi smiled, reaching over to rub her shoulder. "Look, honey, I'm not telling you how to live your life. You want to be with Damon or Caleb or nobody, that's up to you. But don't stress yourself out over things that are fixable."

"What if he does love her? What if… What if he  _always_ loves her?" Her eyes stung then as she turned to look at her. "I can't… I can't just be a stand in, not to anyone. I  _won't_."

"Good." Naomi reached out and tipped Bonnie's chin up. "You never should be. If his heart is somewhere else, then you let it go. Let him go. Be his friend if you want to. But put yourself first, look out for  _you_."

She nodded, reaching up to press her fingers under her eyes, staying her tears. "Yeah."

"Don't make assumptions though, huh? Don't prepare for the worst." Naomi bumped Bonnie's shoulder with her own. "One step at a time, baby girl."

"You're right, I know." Putting an arm around her, she hugged Naomi to her side. "Thanks."

"Any time."

* * *

**…**

* * *

"She's not supposed to be off leash," Bonnie reminded him as they walked down the middle of the street.

Damon shrugged, watching as Mina ran around, sniffing fire hydrants and trees and random parts of the gutter. "She doesn't get too far from us, and there's no cars out this late," he reminded.

"So far." She watched Mina lope around with no specific direction and then cast her eyes up to the full moon. It was chilly out; she could see her breath with each exhale. Despite the cold, the street looked pretty enough to put up with it; Christmas lights lined trees and store windows.

She had her favorite red mitts on, but she could still feel the heat of Damon's hand soaking through the fabric to her skin. Whistling under his breath, he swung their hands back and forth. He'd traded out his leather jacket for his winter coat, still black but a lot more insulated. His cheeks were flushed from the cold and she found herself wondering when the first snow would come. The news warned it could be any day now.

"You're quiet tonight," he noticed.

She shrugged. "Distracted, I guess." She'd been thinking of what Naomi said all week. She needed to say something, and it should be simple. It was just a question, and they'd talked about Elena plenty of times before. She wasn't sure how to bring it up though, worried he might pick up on her reasons and she would end up being uncomfortable or embarrassed or, worse, heartbroken.

"Danny's really on this wedding stuff," he told her. "I had another fitting today because he said he wanted me to change my suit."

Bonnie's nose wrinkled. "Why?"

"He said he wanted blue instead of black, but I'm pretty sure he's just worried I'll look better than him."

She laughed. "Damon…"

He grinned. "It's a legitimate concern, Bon-Bon. Don't worry, I'll try my hardest to blend in."

Shaking her head at him, she leaned against his side. "Are you excited to be the best man?"

"I'm excited I beat Chris out for the job."

Rolling her eyes, she said, "I just mean, you can't be Stefan's, who was probably your only shoe-in chance to be a best man, so…"

He glanced at her, his brow furrowed. "Was Stefan engaged before we left and he just forgot to mention it?"

"No."

"Good. I didn't think he and Blondie got that far yet."

"Caroline?" she asked, a little surprised.

"Yeah." He noticed her expression and smirked. "What, you don't think those two are headed for a June wedding?"

"I… I never really thought about it. I mean, there was Matt then Tyler then that weird thing with  _Klaus_."

"Yeah, all stand-ins. Pretty sure she had it bad for Stefan's brooding forehead from the beginning." He shrugged. "Guess I would've been standing up at that wedding too… Huh."

She eyed him curiously. "And he would've stood at yours. Stopped you from sneaking a flask into your pocket for the ceremony."

"He would've  _tried_."

Smiling faintly, she gathered up her courage and wondered, "Do you ever think about it? Lost chances… Elena in a white dress."

His brows hiked as he turned to her, eyes a little wide. "Wedding fever starting to get to you, Bon-Bon?" He used his teeth to pull his glove off his free hand and pressed his knuckles to her forehead playfully.

She swatted him away. "No. I just… I saw Carla in her dress and—"

"Imagined our wedding? I'm touched. When do you want to book the chapel?" He wiggled his eyebrows down at her.

Snorting, she smiled, turning her head away. "No, I thought about Caroline and Elena and how, when we were kids, we used to think about that stuff. Plan it all out in our heads."

"Don't most girls?"

"Sure, I don't know. Everybody's different. But we did. And it made me think… I guess I just wondered, if you ever thought about it. About Elena…"

He was quiet for a long moment, letting out a long, heavy breath. "Sure, I think about her."

Her heart clenched in her chest.

"Elena was…" He shook his head. "One of the great loves of my life, you know?"

She glanced at him. "Yeah," she said softly.

"After Katherine, she was a breath of fresh air. Everything I thought I really wanted, wrapped up in a face I'd been in love with for a hundred and forty-five years. It was like fate." He hummed, kicking at a rock absently. "We weren't perfect. Pretty sure no relationship really is. We've all got our ups and downs and things to work out. But… I wasn't the type of guy who liked to look at those things. Easier just to ignore 'em. And, some of the time, she let me…

"I told her once that the kind of love she wanted was  _consuming_  and, at the time, I thought that was a good thing. The way I loved, the way it made sense to me, was to want someone so desperately that you don't know how to  _breathe_ without them." He licked his lips, staring ahead. "That's what Katherine was, what Elena was… That made sense to me. And the parts of us that didn't fit or didn't work, I just pretended they didn't matter, because as long as I had her attention, her love, everything made a weird kind of sense."

She stared up at his profile. "What about now?" she wondered.

He turned to look at her, staring at her searchingly. "Now… with a little perspective and some time away from it, I think love is  _nothing_  like I thought it was." He let out a little scoff. "Course it takes me a century and a half to figure it out. Little slow on the uptake, huh?"

"Little bit, yeah." She half-smiled. "So, what's love then?"

He pauses for a moment, thinking, and then tells her, "Compromise. Not ignoring the differences or expecting everything to go one way, but… figuring out a way that fits both people. And patient… even when it's the last thing I want to be, ever. It's loud, and quiet, and something in between. Because I'm pretty sure it's made up of all these little moments, when you're angry with each other, or in the morning, when you're half asleep, or you're not talking, you're just  _together_ for the sake of being around each other. It… It's still passionate, because it needs to be.  _I_ need it to be. I need to feel wanted and to want someone just as much. I need to miss them even when I'm holding their hand. And I need to know that even on my worst day, seeing them will make it worth it. But it's also individual. It's respectful. I'm going to love differently than they love, because we're different people, even if we are together. So it comes back to compromise, knowing that there are some things that you can ask for more of and others that you need to let go of."

Her heart lodged itself in her throat and she found herself at a loss for words.

"And it's friendship. None of that 'you can either be friends or in love' bullshit. You can be best friends. You  _should_  be best friends."

"Sounds like…" She cleared her throat when her voice came out croaky. "Sounds like you really thought about this."

"Yeah, well, I've had some time to." He shrugged, squeezing her hand in his. "You know I figured some things out too…"

"Oh?"

"Elena… The kind of love I had for her, that she had for me, it's not… It isn't what I think of love anymore. And I'm not sure it would work with her if we tried it again."

"No?"

"No." He shook his head. "She  _does_ want a love that consumes her. And that's fine, if it works for her. But I don't. I don't want to be consumed anymore. You know why? Because it's  _fleeting_. It eats at you, burns you up, until you're gone. Until  _it's_ gone. No, the kind of love I want is going to last. It's going to be there the rest of my life. Steady and reliable. Notpredictable, because that's boring. But the kind of love I can trust. That won't fall for my brother instead or constantly question whether I'm good enough. Just… It's a home. It should be like coming home. No matter where you are, what's going on, any of that, you see them, you've got them right there in your arms, and that's it. That's all you need. You're home."

She breathed out shakily, nodding. "Sounds…"

"Dramatic? I have a flair for that."

She grinned. "You do, but no. It sounds nice."

"Yeah?" he asked, looking over at her, mouth curved up lightly.

"Yeah," she said softly.

They stared at each other a long moment, before the nearby noise of a car caught their attention. Damon turned and called Mina over while they moved toward the sidewalk.

"Well, how about this hopeless romantic takes you home? Makes you some of Sheila's patented hot chocolate?" he suggested.

Nodding, Bonnie said, "I'd like that."

"Good." He wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her against him, pressing a kiss to her temple.

Half-way home, snow started to fall, and it made an already memorable night all the more beautiful.

* * *

**…**

* * *

Bonnie was giggling when he stepped into the store, her face lit up with a smile, and, for a moment, that was all Damon saw. Her happiness, making her all the more beautiful.

And then he saw who was making her laugh.

He'd been expecting Naomi, Annette, The Kid, even Brandon. Instead, it was some guy he'd never seen before, someone who apparently really liked candles, since he'd bought more than enough of them, and who was lingering, leaning on the counter, chuckling along with Bonnie.

It wasn't until he reached across and brushed a stray hair from her cheek, tucking it behind her ear, that Damon felt something swoop and land in his stomach, heavy with impending disappointment.

For a second, he considered turning around, walking out the door and taking a long walk. Giving himself a chance to wrap his head around it. Because as much as he recognized Bonnie was a beautiful woman, that she was smart and kind and anybody would be lucky to have her in his life, he never really considered the idea that he might have competition. Maybe it was the fact that for nearly six years now, everybody around them thought they were together. Maybe it was his own arrogance at thinking nobody would try their hand at turning her head when he was around. Or maybe it was just blind hope that things would go smoothly this time around.

Who was he kidding?

When had any of his relationships ever been that easy? When had he ever fallen for someone that wasn't already interested in someone else, or wasn't just with him in the meantime, until someone better came along? Never. It was as simple as that. Anybody he'd ever really cared about, anybody he'd really wanted to be with… He was either the second choice, or the stand-in. He'd tried to be more, he'd done everything in his power to be their number one, to prove that he was the one they really wanted, the one they  _should_  want. He'd forced his way into Elena's heart,  _made_ her look at him, see him, done everything he could to outshine his brother, to point out Stefan's flaws so his own wouldn't look so big. And he'd won. For a while. He got the girl. That triumph seemed hollow now. With Elena completely out of reach and probably better off for it.

Bonnie was different.

Bonnie had been different from the very beginning. She was the one who refused to be swayed by a smile, to be placated with a wink. She didn't fall for his charms so much as scoff at them. She didn't ignore his flaws or his mistakes or the death toll he racked up. She was aware and she made sure he knew that she wouldn't stand for it. Even now, when he was a hell of a lot better than he'd been, she was still different. She never swooned for him, never fell for his tricks, instead, she always called him out, demanded honesty and respect, and, even if it wasn't her intention, he was a better person for it.

He thought about leaving, walking away with the leaden feeling of defeat already settling inside him, but then she looked up, spotted him, and her mouth spread wide in a smile. "Hey, you're early," she said, perking up at the counter.

So he pasted on a smile and made his way over. "Job finished up quicker than we thought," he answered, glancing at the man in front of her. "You really went for the half-off deal, huh?" he said, raising a brow at all the candles.

"Oh. Uh, yeah, well, can't ignore a good deal when you see it."

Bonnie grinned. "See, I told you it was a good idea." She looked smug, looking up at Damon proudly.

Mina came hurrying from around the corner then and bee-lined it for him. Damon was thankful for the distraction and knelt down to meet her, rubbing his hands over her head and rubbing his nose against hers. "There's my girl," he cooed, scratching behind her ears.

"She was good today," Bonnie informed him. "I took her for a walk to the town center, threw the ball around, shared an ice cream cone with her…"

"She got spoiled." He kissed her snout before he stood, absently reaching for Bonnie, his hand sliding up her back and settling at the nape of her neck, squeezing gently.

Bonnie looked up at him and then turned forward once more. "Oh, sorry. Damon, this is Caleb. He helped me with Mina when she wouldn't cross the road."

"And now he's buying his weight in candles…" He smirked emptily. "Good samaritan type, huh?"

Caleb smiled awkwardly. "Something like that."

Bonnie looked between them, her brows furrowed. "Anyway…" She tore the receipt off the machine and held it out to Caleb. "It was good seeing you. And let me know how you like the sage candle. It's new and I'm not quite sure the recipe is where I want it to be. Naomi thinks we should make it sage and lemon."

"I'll get back to you," he agreed, raising the bag in his hand to wave at her. "Nice meeting you Damon."

"Yeah," he answered, nodding his chin. He watched as Caleb left, turning back as he stepped through the day to see Bonnie one last time. A muscle ticked in Damon's jaw and he gritted his teeth.

"Hey," she said softly.

Looking down at her, he half-smiled. "Hey," he returned. "You just about ready to get out of here?"

"Yeah. Just let me grab my books. You wanna close up the front?"

"Sure."

"Don't forget to—"

"Turn the open sign," he finished knowingly, shaking his head as he walked toward the door. "Pretty sure having the lights off is a clear sign you're closed, Bon-Bon."

"Yeah, yeah, just do it," she said, making her way to her back office.

Mina followed after her, nipping at her heels, no doubt hoping Bonnie might give her one of the treats she kept in the back. Bonnie thought she was being sly, buying the treats herself, but Damon knew she spoiled Mina on them. She tried to play aloof, saying Mina was all Damon's, but she was just as in love with their dog as he was.

When she made her way back out, books under one arm and Mina on her leash beside her, he left the front of her shop, the lights off, the door locked, and the sign turned to closed. He walked toward her, sliding an arm around her waist as she turned to face the back exit, and he wondered if she would do the same thing with someone else one day. If Caleb would walk her out of her shop, or some other guy would meet her at the end of her day, and they would walk off together to their home. For the first time, that seemed a very real possibility, and he had no idea what to do about it.

Leaning down, he pressed a kiss to the top of her head, swallowing tightly as she leaned into his side, arm around his waist, and started telling him about her day.

* * *

**…**

* * *

"What's up with you?"

"Hm?" Damon looked up from his beer to find Danny and Chris staring at him, frowning. "Sorry, what?"

"Danny's been throwing out ideas for his bachelor party and you've spent most of it staring into your beer. He suggested we crash Carla's bachelorette party as strippers and you didn't even blink."

"Maybe I need the money. Of the three of us, I'm pretty sure I'd be the best stripper."

"Who's second?" Danny wondered.

"Chris."

"What? Why?"

"He has rhythm."

"I have rhythm!" he defended.

Chris shrugged. "I'm pretty sure neither of you can dance."

"We're stripping, it's more about the vibe you're giving out," Damon said, shaking his head. "Danny would trip over his pants trying to get them off. He's got the highest record for accidents on the job."

Danny rolled his eyes. "Small accidents, nothing serious."

"They know him by name at the hospital," Damon said, shaking his head.

Chris chuckled, taking a drag from his beer.

"Fine. But just for the record, Carla has a stripper pole, and she likes it just fine when I take it for a spin," Danny told them, pointing seriously.

Damon laughed into his beer.

Chris turned to him. "Back to the original topic… What's got you so distracted? You've been weird lately."

"I'm always weird. It's part of my charm."

"Weirder than normal," Danny snorted. "Something going on? Something serious?" He looked worried then, his mouth turned down.

Damon wasn't sure how to reply to that; he reached back, running a hand down his hair and over his neck. Truth was, he'd spent the last few days trying to decide if it was better to bow out early or fight. Fighting for a woman hadn't done him many favors and, to be honest, he was tired of having to. He was tired of having to prove his worth and, considering how unsure he was that she would, or could, feel the same way about him, he was starting to think it was better to just preserve their friendship and not complicate things. But then he would wake up in the morning and he would turn over to find her there, muttering in her sleep, and the idea that one day he might not, that one day he wouldn't share her bed, or cuddle with her on Sundays, or read poetry to her in front of the fire, or make her dinner, or rub her tiny little feet, that one day she might not reach for his hand or lean into the kiss he pressed to her cheek, that she wouldn't press her ear to his heart as they danced… it was sounding more and more like the worst thing that could happen to him.

"You ever been with someone and wonder if they could do better?"

"Are you kidding? Sometimes I wake up next to Carla and I pinch myself." Danny shook his head. "Don't tell her that though, she might leave my ass for someone better."

Chris tipped his head, his brow furrowed as he stared at Damon thoughtfully. "You and Bonnie having problems?"

"No. We're… We're good. She just… There's a guy. Caleb or something. He's been hanging around the shop, flirting with her."

"Plenty of people flirt with Bonnie," Danny said.

True. She did have a habit of attracting attention, whether she noticed it or not.

"This was different. I don't know." He sighed, shaking his head. "It's just got me thinking."

"Well, your first mistake is looking at it like one of you is worse or better," Chris told him, leaning back in the booth.

Damon looked over at him, frowning. "What do you mean?" He knew for a fact Bonnie was better than him, in just about every way. She was good, compassionate, smart, loving; he could go on all day.

"People aren't just one thing. We're never all good or all bad, we're complicated. And when it comes to relationships, if you start thinking of someone as better than you, then you're putting them on a pedestal, and when they screw up, which they will, it's inevitable, it makes it harder to accept. Harder to make sense of." He shook his head. "Listen, Bonnie's great. She fits with you, just like you fit with her. Maybe she's better at some things, but she's worse at things too. When you're with someone, you got to see them as a whole person. And then you've got to see yourself the same way. You're not perfect, but you're not all bad either. The things you see in Bonnie that you love, that you don't think you have, the things you think make her a better person, they're just parts of her. Parts you should love, but not envy.

"You want a healthy relationship, work on yourself. Figure yourself out. Figure out what you don't like about  _you_  and then decide what you want to do about it. But don't put it on someone else, don't look at them and think they're too good. They're just them. If you think you're not good enough, you gotta find out why. Because you shouldn't be any better or worse. Bonnie fell in love with you, flaws and all. She's stuck with you this long, so obviously she's seeing something you aren't."

Damon stared at him a long moment, and then down at his beer, letting his words settle inside him. But eventually, when they felt a little too heavy, he had to wonder, "What if someone else can make her happier?"

Chris shrugged. "What if they can't?"

He hummed, nodding to himself, and then half-smiled. Shaking his head, he said, "All right, enough of that." Tipping his beer back, Damon finished it off. "I'm going to get another round and when I get back, we're going to plan this bachelor party."

Half-grinning, Danny nodded. "Cheers to that."

* * *

**…**

* * *

"Are you okay?" Bonnie asked. She was neck deep in a bathtub full of bubbles, a towel rolled up and tucked behind her neck. A glass of wine was in reach and she was watching as Damon, who had spent the last while doing laundry, started putting towels away on the shelves against the wall. "You've been distracted lately."

"Fine," he told her, emptying out the last of the laundry. He looked back at her, offering a weird smile, and then he crossed the room, plucking up a book on the table she'd brought near the tub and bent down so they were eye-level. "How's your bath going, wrinkles?"

She held up her hand for him to see her pruned fingers. Damon leaned over and kissed the pads of each of her wrinkly fingers. Smiling, she turned her hand, pressing her palm to his cheek, her thumb stroking lightly. "You know you can talk to me, right?" She stared at him searchingly. "About anything."

He nodded. "Yeah."

She bit her lip. "Because if something's going on and you don't think I'll understand… I still want to try."

"Mmhmm."

"So there's nothing you want to talk about...?"

He was quiet for a moment. "Maybe one thing."

She perked up a little. "Okay."

"Your beard."

"My…  _what?_ "

"I didn't want to say anything but…" He gathered up bubbles and smeared them over her cheeks and chin. "It's getting a little out of control."

Scoffing at him, Bonnie rolled her eyes. "You're ridiculous." She scooped up bubbles of her own and rubbed them down his face. He laughed, blowing a few off his mouth before he reached for more.

She slapped at his hands, giggling, as their wrestling caused water to slosh around. "Damon! Don't get my hair wet!"

He merely grinned, flicking water at her face with his fingers.

Glaring at him playfully, she splashed him, soaking the front of his shirt.

He raised an eyebrow at her. "Think about this… Do you really want to declare war right now?"

Bonnie paused, thinking about it. She was naked, and confined to the bathtub. Chewing her lip, she tipped her chin down, and shook her head.

"That's what I thought." He plucked her glass of wine up and handed it to her before turning, pressing his back to the tub as he thumbed through her book to where she'd left off.

Bonnie stared at his profile, sinking a little deeper into the tub, and smiled, sipping at her wine as he began to read to her. She barely heard what he was saying, and knew she would have to re-read a good chunk of her book, but that didn't matter. She watched his face, a few bubbles still stuck to his hair, his eyes soft, his shirt clinging to his chest, and a faint smile pulling at his mouth.

"Damon?"

He paused, looking over at her.

She reached for him, stroking her fingers through his hair delicately. "Whenever you're ready to talk… I'll listen."

He caught her hand and brought it down, pressing his lips to her knuckles. He left it there, the back pressed to his cheek, and said, "I know."

The only words from him after that were from her book, but that was okay, because he knew, and eventually, when he was ready, he would share whatever was going on in his head. He always did.

* * *

**…**

* * *

Damon came to the conclusion he either needed to put up or shut up. The 'slow burn, ease her into it' plan wasn't working. Maybe it was because he was impatient or maybe it was knowing that Caleb was still around, that every other Thursday he was showing up at the store, making Bonnie laugh, carving out a little place in her heart, which left Damon feeling like he was slowly getting closer and closer to losing her. He tried to take what Chris said to heart, but the flaw in that thinking was that Bonnie wasn't in love with him, they'd been faking their relationship the whole time, so relying on the idea that she'd already chosen him didn't get him far. But they did have a foundation for a relationship, a lot more than Caleb had, and that was encouraging. If he could find a way to let her know how he felt without scaring her off.

It was Bonnie's turn to make dinner, and Damon had already chickened out on doing something, like taking her into his arms and just kissing her, four different times. There were opportunities to say something, to be spontaneous, to work a confession into the conversation, but every time he tried, his tongue tied itself up into a knot and he would let it pass him by. She just looked so happy, so content, and he didn't want that to go away. He didn't want her expression to change into pity or confusion or awkward uncertainty. He didn't want her to give him the 'I only think of you as a friend' speech as gently as she could, so not to hurt his feelings. In a weird way, that felt inevitable. Maybe it was because he'd spent a good portion of his life being rejected by the people he wanted to love him. His dad, Katherine, Stefan, Elena. He'd disappointed them, fallen short of their expectations, never quite lived up to what they wanted, time and time again. His past could only reinforce how much of a screw up he was, how much of a failure he could be when it came to relationships. Bonnie would be smart not to get involved with him.

But he'd changed. Hadn't he? She'd seen that. She knew he was better, that he wasn't as selfish, that he could, and would, put her first.

"…I've never tried it before. So let's hope it turns out okay. Caleb said it was pretty foolproof, but we both know I can burn just about anything if I try hard enough."

Damon went still. "Caleb?" he asked, his voice carefully void of emotion.

"Yeah. When he stopped by last week, we were talking about recipes, and I was telling him that you make dinner most of the time, but every once in a while I get to break out one of Grams' old recipes. That got him talking about his mom and how she made the best hot chocolate he'd ever had. Which, of course, I said was only because he'd never had Grams' hot chocolate. Anyway, I told him I was making dinner this week and he gave me a few recipes to try out. This is one of them." She wiped her hands on a dish towel before tossing it back to the island.

Damon stared downward, his brow furrowed, as he licked his lips. "Caleb's around a lot, huh," he said.

Bonnie shrugged. "I guess. He really likes half-off Thursdays."

"Yeah, he's really… milking that." He pursed his lips.

Bonnie glanced at him, frowning. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," he said, short and succinct.

Tipping her head, she stared at him. "No, something's wrong. I think I've known you long enough that I can tell when something's bothering you."

He shook his head, dragging his hands over his face. "I'm fine. Just tired."

Bonnie didn't look convinced, so he reached for her, taking her hand and rubbing his thumb over her knuckles. He stared at her hand a long moment, small and soft, fitting comfortably in his. And then he started thinking, about how well they fit together, about how right it felt to reach for her and hold her, about how much he didn't want to lose that.

"I'm not fine."

She blinked. "Okay. Well, do you want to talk about it?"

He took a deep breath and rubbed a hand down his mouth. Finally, stiffly, he said, "I think I should move out."

Bonnie paused, going completely still. "What?" she asked quietly.

"I… I've been thinking about this a lot. And I think maybe it's time that we… we try this thing separately." He cleared his throat when it started to burn. "We can figure out a schedule with Mina. I don't want to keep her from you. And it'll take some time, separating everything, but—"

"Damon."

"—I haven't really looked for a place yet. I know the joint bank account is going to cause some issues, but we'll figure that out too—"

"Look at me."

"—and the house, you should keep it. If you have problems with the mortgage, I can help—"

"Damon Salvatore, look me in the face right now!" she demanded, her voice raised.

He swallowed tightly, but raised his eyes to meet hers, a pang striking his heart as he saw hers were shining with tears.

"Are you serious?" she asked, staring at him searchingly.

He turned his eyes just a little to the left. "We talked about it before. About eventually getting different places."

"That was a long time. That… That was when we weren't sure how we felt about living together or where we were. I thought… I thought we were happy."

Her voice cracked, and he winced. "We are."

"Then  _why?_ "

"Bonnie, please," he sighed, shaking his head. "Don't make this harder than it is."

"Harder for  _who?_ You're the one leaving!" she exclaimed.

"I thought you'd be happy," he muttered.

" _Excuse_  me?" She crossed her arms over her chest, frowning at him. "Would you like to explain  _why?_ "

Crossing his arms in front of him on the island counter, he shrugged, affecting nonchalance. "Things are permanent here. In the beginning, we weren't sure if we were going back. Now we know we aren't. There's no more tiptoeing around it. This is…. the rest our lives."

"And what?" She shook her head. "You don't want to spend it together?"

His throat burned with emotion and he dropped his eyes to the counter. "I want you to be happy."

"And you leaving is supposed to accomplish that  _how?_ " She threw her hands up, her mouth wobbling. "I don't understand. Explain it to me. Because one minute we're happy, there's nothing wrong, I… We have a home, and a dog, and a routine. Is… Is it  _boring?_ Is that it? I—I know you're used to chaos and adventure and you said that was what you want. But I thought you were settling down here. I thought you  _liked_ it." She was getting worked up and her voice was getting thicker. "I don't get it."

He pushed up from the stool and circled around the counter to her. Squeezing her shoulders softly, he bent, pressing a kiss to her forehead. He tried to pull her in for a bug, but she pressed her hands to his chest to keep him back, even as her hands gripped his shirt just as much to keep him there and close.

He lingered longer than he should have, but the possibility that this was the last time she would let him do it, let him near her, made him want to stay as long as possible. "I'm going to stay at Danny's for a few days. I can pick up a few things later."

Just as he released her, she put her arm around his waist. "No."

"Bonnie—"

"You don't get to drop a bomb like that and walk away.  _Talk_ to me." She stared up at him, her face twisted up emotionally. "What is going on in that  _thick_  head, huh?"

He stared down at her, and his hands raised to frame her face, thumbs atop the arch of her cheeks. "You make it sound easy."

"Maybe because it is."

He shook his head. "No. See, I've been trying to figure out what I'm going to say for… weeks now. This whole time I've felt like I was on some kind of time limit. That suddenly the buzzer was going to ring — _zzzt_ — and I'd realize I was too late. I waited too long. Which is crazy, because I think we both know that I'm impatient, I jump the gun, I— I run in, head first, with a half-assed plan, that is  _probably_  going to end a lot more bloody that it needs to. But this time… This time, I thought I'd play it safe. I thought… if I just gave you time, and I snuck in under your radar, you'd never see it coming and you wouldn't be able to stop it, and before you know it, you'd be in love with me too."

He swallowed tightly, grinding his teeth, and rubbed his thumbs back and forth — God, her skin was so soft.

"And for a while there, I thought it'd be easy. We spend all this time together, all I needed to do was show you that friendship wasn't the limit for us. But then Caleb was there, and he was making you laugh, and I started asking myself what I was doing. I started thinking about what it'd be like to let you go, if that was smarter, less selfish, better for you…" He shook his head, smirking bitterly. "Because let's face it, I'm not the kind of guy you wanna settle down with. I've done a good job so far, but if we weren't sent here and you weren't hard up for someone to trust, you'd never give me a second glance. I can't even blame you for that, you'd be  _smart_ not to. And you've always been smart. You're the level headed one, the logical one, my brilliant little witch..." He reached over and tapped the tip of her nose affectionately.

A few seconds passed before he shook his head and told her, "Look, I don't know if Caleb even matters. What I know is I'm old,  _too_ old, and I've spent most of my life trying to find someone to spend it with. I've done stupid, reckless, pointless things for women that never gave a shit about me and I've hurt people who did. I've hurt  _you_  too many times, and that… It's still with me. I've got more regrets than I can begin to count, and what I've done to you, how I hurt you over the years, those are near the top. How you put up with me, how you even managed to become my friend, I have no idea. Because I've done a really good job of proving why I don't deserve either. But you did. You  _did_. And Bonnie, you're… the most important person in my life. You're my best friend. I'm not just saying that because Ric's not here, or Stefan, or Enzo. It's because it's true. Even at my worst, you still tried to pull my ass out of the fire, you backed me up even when you hated me, you called me out and forced me to get my shit together even when I did nothing but cause you stress and pain…

"And Chris, he tells me that I shouldn't compare us, that I shouldn't look at it like you're better than me, but you  _are_. You're a hundred times better than I ever was, or ever  _could_  be. Which is why, possibly for the first time in my very long, very selfish, very self-indulged life, I'm going to do the right thing, and I'm going to walk away. And maybe in a few months, when you're done burning every picture of me and calling me every name in the book and possibly trying to get your magic back  _just_  to give me an aneurysm, which, by the way, I wouldn't survive, so try to restrain yourself… Maybe after that, you might forgive me for being a jackass and… let me be your friend again."

A tear trickled down her cheek, and he swiped it away slowly. His hands were shaking and his throat was tight and this selfless thing was a hell of a lot harder than he thought it would be. But he kissed the top of her head one last time and he stepped around her, starting for the door. He had his shoes on and his jacket half-zipped when her voice reached him.

Her back was still to him, one of her hands on the edge of the counter for balance, as she croaked out, "I'm not better than you."

He paused, staring at her. "Bonnie—" he said, in that 'don't be stupid' voice of his.

She turned on her heel to face him. "I'm  _not_. I'm not better than you just like you're not better or worse than me. We just  _are_. I have flaws, I make mistakes, there was a reason you called me Judgy. I'm not saying that's even a bad thing, because sometimes you need to be judgemental, you need to say what others won't, and you need to notice when people are doing things they shouldn't be. But I'm also self-sacrificing and I tend to put myself last on my priorities list. I'm not perfect, Damon. And neither are you. You cheat at board games, you're sarcastic and dismissive, you hate getting close to people because you think they'll hurt you, you take everything personally, you're incredibly sensitive but you try really hard not to be, and you have this very annoying habit of making choices for people instead of talking to them and working together for a solution. Because if you'd just talked to me, if you'd asked me what I wanted, if you'd pulled your head out of your 'I know what's best' bubble, you might've realized that I have feelings for you. Very deep, very scary feelings that I had no idea you reciprocated. Feelings that I was worried would ruin our friendship. Feelings I felt guilty about because, until recently, I thought you were still in love with Elena.

"And now, because some guy that I  _barely_ know happens to flirt with me and share recipe ideas and is a very generous customer, you think you need to swoop in with your protector act and make decisions about my life and what I want. Well, screw you!" She tossed her hands up. "You don't get to decide what's best for me or what's going to make me happy.  _I_ decide that. So if I want to fall in love with you, if I want to spend my life with you, if I want to share my home and my bed and my heart with you, then I'm going to. If that's not what you want, if you're not ready for that,  _say_ that. But don't walk away and tell me it's for my own good. I'm a grown woman. I may not be a hundred and eighty years old, but I know what I want. And I want  _you_."

He stared at her, searching her face. She was so angry she was flushed, and her eyes were still bright with tears, but she raised her chin, stubborn and sure of herself, and his mouth tipped up at the corner.

"You know what I'm like…" He shook his head. "When I fall in love, I don't let go."

"Maybe I don't want you to." She put her hands to her hips. "Maybe I don't want to let you go either."

"Be sure," he told her, taking a step toward her. "Because I'm risking everything here. Our life, your friendship,  _you_ …"

She met his step with one of her own. "I'm sure."

"You know I'm impulsive," he warned.

"Very."

"And more than a little possessive."

"We'll work on that."

"I'm reckless."

"You're getting better.

"I don't share."

"I don't want you to."

"I'm gonna fall in love with you quickly, and I won't apologize for it."

"So will I."

His gaze fell to her lips. "Last chance."

"No take-backs," she murmured.

And then he was there, his lips slanting over hers, his arm around her waist, pulling her up, their chests pressed together tightly. She reached for him, her fingers balling up the shoulders of his jacket and then reaching up, skimming over his neck and burying in his hair. Her lips parted on a panted breath and his tongue swept inside, stroking the roof of her mouth and flicking the back of her teeth. She made a noise, a cracked whimper from the back of her throat. And he chased it. He chased the way it made him feel. Triumphant, hopeful,  _needy_  for more. He nipped at her lips, so full and warm and inviting. He kissed every inch of them, from one corner to the other, sucking on her lips and scraping his teeth over them, his tongue soothing the sting away.

Their noses bumped, rubbing together, and her feet stumbled as they backed up. His hands fell, sweeping under her thighs and lifting her until she was seated on the counter. A few inches higher than him now, his head tipped back with the pressure of her kisses, one of her legs tying itself around his waist, drawing him in close. Her nails scratched at his scalp and teased down his neck as she kissed from his mouth to his cheek and nibbled down the line of his jaw, back to his chin. He kissed the tip of her nose and ran a hand up her back, catching the hair at the nape of her neck and giving it a tug so he could bury his mouth at her neck, pressing sucking kisses all over her skin, wanting to leave a mark to remind him this was real, they were real, this was happening.

Her skin was supple, smelling faintly of her perfume; he wanted to bury his nose against her and just soak her in. The noises she made, soft and encouraging,  _demanding_  as she tipped her head back, humming as his teeth ran over her collar bones. She dragged one hand down his chest, pressing her palm flat to his chest. He kissed up the front of her neck, nuzzling her as he went, and tipped her chin down so their lips met. He stared in her eyes then, sipping at her mouth, and she stared right back. When they finally stopped, they were forehead to forehead, breath meeting between parted lips.

"No more leaving," she told him. "This is home. You and me."

"You and me." He kissed her again, tugging at her bottom lip with his teeth, dragging his nose against hers. "This feels right. Right?"

She smiled, looking a little drunk on him, on them. "It feels amazing." She hooked her arm around his neck and nodded. "For the record, there will never be a time when I have to choose between you or someone else. But if, for some insane reason, there was… I'd pick you." She stared at her seriously. "I'll always pick you."

Damon swallowed tightly, and half-smiled. "I'm gonna Swayze you and say 'ditto.'"

She laughed, and she never looked more beautiful. Leaning back just a little, she said, "One more kiss, and then I have to finish dinner."

He leaned in, but it was far from one kiss. He didn't stop until the casserole in the oven burned, and he didn't care one bit. After tossing out their dinner, he called for Chinese take-out and then he took his favorite little witch to the couch and he made sure he thoroughly apologized for nearly leaving. Every once in a while he did dumb things, but he'd learned his lesson this time.

Bonnie was his home, and he was never going to leave her.

* * *

**…**

* * *

It was three in the morning when Damon stumbled out to the kitchen, pajama pants slung low on his hips, the legs dragging on the floor. He scratched his stomach absently and yawned. After sharing their feelings and eating entirely too much Chinese food, they'd passed out earlier than usual, Mina laying over their feet. Despite being half asleep, he was in a good mood. All of his fears about things progressing between them were unfounded. She felt the same way and they were going to pursue a relationship. Slowly, because they didn't want to ruin anything, but slow was better than nothing. And if tonight had proven anything, then slow could still be fun. He was pretty sure he'd never get tired of kissing her. She was so responsive and eager and her mouth felt so good.

He grinned, biting his lip just thinking about it. Yanking open the door to the fridge, he grabbed out the jug of milk and started guzzling it back. Bonnie hated it when he didn't use a glass, but Bonnie was sleeping, so…

He eyed the rest of the fridge for something to snack on, but the only option was leftover chicken fried rice. Debating it, he took another drag from the milk and then wondered if they had any of the homemade cookies Annette had made for them. He was half-way to the jar when he saw something moving out of the corner of his eye.

Tensing, he turned, and went completely still as he saw a transparent Caroline Forbes standing in the middle of his living room. She was frowning and squinting and searching around, her eyes never quite landing on anything. Dropping the milk jug onto the counter abruptly, he took a step toward her and waved his hand to see if she might notice him, but, despite moving her lips like she was talking and letting her eyes wander past him, it didn't look like she had any idea where she was or that he was there.

He had no idea what that meant, and he wasn't sure he wanted to.

Caroline disappeared as quickly as she appeared, fizzling away into nothing, leaving no sign that she was ever there.

He considered for a moment that it was a hallucination, or even a dream. But Bonnie had seen her once too, a long time ago now. He'd thought it was just guilt and missing them that had made her think she saw Caroline, now he wasn't so sure.

Swallowing thickly, he wiped a hand over his mouth, put the milk back in the fridge, and then shook his head. If he told Bonnie, she would immediately go for her grimoire; she'd throw herself into getting home. She'd go right back to burning herself out, and, on top of that, who knew what would happen to their relationship? They were just starting out, and they were both nervous about screwing it up. At least here they didn't have to worry about the expectations of everyone back home. Here, everything was easy, it was perfect. Their best chances of survival as a couple was to stay where they were.

He sighed, rubbing his hands over his face, and felt conflicted. He missed his brother, he missed their old life, in some ways. But there was a chance that, even seeing Caroline, it didn't mean anything. There was no guarantee they could get back. Caroline was barely more than a ghost, she couldn't speak or see them. And Bonnie had no magic, or, if she did, she couldn't access it without possibly hurting herself.

Damon gritted his teeth and shook his head.

No.

As far as he was concerned, Caroline was a figment of his imagination. She was never there. He left the kitchen and made his way back to bed, crawling in beside Bonnie.

Shifting at the sudden movement beside her, she blinked sleepy eyes at him, mumbling something incoherent.

"Shh, it's okay, go back to sleep," he said, kissing her forehead and wrapping an arm around her. Bonnie snuggled against his side and was out like a light.

He stared at the ceiling for a long moment, wondering if it was selfish or not, and then decided he didn't care. He wasn't perfect, he'd made plenty of mistakes before and this might just be another one, but he wouldn't apologize for it. He had Bonnie, and looking out for her was his main priority. It was just that simple.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **EDIT** : THIS STORY WILL NOT BE WORKED UNTIL AFTER TVD RETURNS. Because I'm in school now, updates will predominantly be over the weekends. I really appreciate the support, but please stop asking for updates. They're coming; I promise!  
> _________________________________________  
> this was so long i nearly split it into two chapters, but i really did want to get to the part where they become an actual couple. it's been growing for a while now and i didn't want to put it off any longer. it's one of my favorite chapters if only for the bathtub scene, to be honest. but i really love writing damon having epiphanies about his feelings and who he is. i like that he let's his guard down with bonnie until he starts putting her and their friendship ahead of his feelings. he wants to be selfless, he wants to think of her first, but bonnie is also her own person and she has every right to tell him he can't make those decisions on his own. he needs to talk to her rather than make assumptions or come to conclusions on his own. at the same time, now that they're together, they're still going to be testing the waters a bit with each other, seeing how they fit together this way in the next chapter, which is going to be a lot more tension filled and will, depending on the length, probably get this story pushed up to Mature.
> 
> now, to the little hitch at the end, damon now knows that bonnie's vision of caroline was real, which presents a predicament. he's decided not to mention it, which proves two things - 1) he's still making decisions for both of them, which is classic damon, so he's not perfect and still has some growth to do, and 2) while aware that there may possibly be a way to go home, he's choosing not to pursue it, in part for bonnie's health but also because of their new found relationship, which says a LOT about how he's feeling. as you all know, however, they won't go back until fifteen years has passed, so while Caroline's popping up at random, nothing will come of it for a little while yet. on the bright side, i get to explore bamon's happy relationship for a while yet. :)
> 
> you were all asking for a kiss, so I hope it lived up to expectation. rest assured there will be many, many more to come.
> 
> thank you all so, so much for reading. please leave a review. i'd love to know what your favorite part was, or anything really.
> 
> \- **lee | fina**


	9. star light, star bright

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **NOTE** : This starts directly following the previous chapter!
> 
>  **faceclaim** : [C A S T](http://www.sarcasticfina.tumblr.com/eternity)

**IX**.

Bonnie woke to a tickling sensation making its way across her stomach. A smile curved her lips long before her eyes cracked open to see messy black hair and bright blue eyes. Damon smirked up at her, his mouth peppering kisses across her bare skin. He'd pushed the fabric of her top up to her ribs, his hand wrapped around her side, thumb stroking absently.

Resting his chin on her, he murmured, "Morning."

"Morning." Reaching for him, she stroked her fingers through his sleep-mussed hair. "What happened to 'taking it slowly'?" she wondered, raising an eyebrow.

"This  _is_ me taking it slowly." He dipped his face down and pressed a kiss an inch to the right of her belly button. And then, taking his time, moved his mouth to just below her belly button, to press another kiss there. "See? Very,  _very_  slow." He winked. "Patience is a virtue."

She bit her lip in an effort to keep her smile from spreading too wide, but she had a feeling she still failed. "Cute. But that doesn't change the fact that we agreed we were going to be careful about this... Our friendship has to come first."

"It does. We'll be incredibly close friends.  _Bosom_ buddies." He wiggled his eyebrows and slid up the bed a little, pressing kisses in a line up her body until he reached the very edge of her rolled up shirt, his chin tucked in the valley of her breasts. "It's my favorite  _kind_ of buddy."

Bonnie chuckled, shaking her head at him. "You're ridiculous."

"- _ly hot_. Yes. I know." He turned his eyes upward and sighed; rather dramatically, in her opinion. "It's a curse."

Scrubbing her fingers through his hair, she brought her hand back to his cheek. "Breakfast, and then I was thinking we could do something this morning, just us."

"Like a date?" He wiggled his eyebrows. "Are you asking me out, Miss Bennett? Are we going steady?"

"We're going to eat breakfast and then we're going to find something fun to do. Call it whatever you want." She shoved her hand into his face and pushed him off her before rolling off the bed and making her way to the door. When she looked back over her shoulder, Damon had rolled onto his back, arms tucked behind his head.

He grinned at her. "If it's up to me, then I call it a  _'date._ '"

Rolling her eyes at him, she walked off to the bathroom, letting herself smile as she closed the door behind her. It'd been a long time since she would call herself 'giddy' about something, but this definitely qualified as that. There were butterflies and her heart was racing and heat had spread all over her skin.

As much as she wanted to be cautious about things between her and Damon, to take them slowly and really explore the boundaries before they completely demolished any chance of going back to just being friends, some part of her just wanted to run in, head-first, and enjoy things as they came. But she was supposed to be the smart one, the rational one, so she would take it slowly. They both would.

Day by day, date by date.

* * *

**…**

* * *

"Okay, you got everything?" he asked, scrubbing Mina's ears affectionately as he stared up at Bonnie from his crouched position by the cash register.

"Yes. I remembered my lunch this time." She rolled her eyes. "It was  _one_  time."

He stood and reached for her, hands squeezing her hips gently. "And you complained the whole ride home that you were  _starving_."

"I  _was_." She shrugged. "And then we ordered take-out and the problem was solved."

"Right, but there wouldn't have  _been_ a problem if you'd just brought your lunch." He shook his head before she could argue. "You need to take care of yourself. You have a habit of not doing that. It's history. I can provide witnesses if necessary."

"Amen to that," Naomi said from where she was stocking candles on the shelves.

"Hey! You're supposed to support  _me_ , remember?" Bonnie complaining, mouth turned up in a faint smile.

"Only when you're right, honey. But in this case, rare but true, Damon's right. You don't take care of yourself enough. You're a workaholic if I ever met one."

Damon nodded, brows hiked. "See? The great and gorgeous Naomi has spoken."

"Uh-huh. Well, I remembered my lunch, so you can both stop worrying," Bonnie told them.

"Good." Damon bent forward and pecked her lips. "I gotta go. Danny wanted to get breakfast before we see what's on the roster for this afternoon."

"Okay. Say hi to him for me."

"I will." He kissed her one more time and then waved at Naomi as he walked away. "Have a nice day, ladies."

"Bye, Damon," Naomi called after him before stepping out from the shelves, wiggling her eyebrows playfully. " _So_ … You two are looking  _happy_... Spill!"

Bonnie rolled her eyes. "We talked. And, after some confusion about who felt what about who, we realized we were being ridiculous and decided to give a relationship a real try. So… we're dating. I guess." She shrugged. "We're taking it slowly."

" _How_ slowly?"

Bonnie flushed. "We're not  _sleeping_ together. We're just trying to feel it out, see if we can make it work without completely destroying any chance of a friendship if it doesn't, you know,  _work_."

Naomi hummed thoughtfully. "It's smart."

"I hear a 'but' coming…" Bonnie sighed, watching her from the corner of her eyes as she fiddled with her log books.

"You're a smart woman, Bonnie. You hand out advice better than any day-time talk show host I know of. But playing it smart doesn't always work when it comes to matters of the heart."

Bonnie chewed her lip uncertainly, her brow furrowed.

"I'm not saying jump into bed with him." Naomi waved her hands, shaking her head. "I'm just saying that sometimes you don't need to think about the logistics of something or how it might fall apart if something goes wrong. Sometimes you just have to let your heart lead you where it wants to go and you hope for the best."

Bonnie's gaze fell downward, her mind wandering thoughtfully.

Naomi reached out, rubbing Bonnie's arm lightly. "But that's just my advice. You know yourself better than I ever will. So you do what feels right for  _you_ , all right?"

She smiled thankfully, and watched absently as Naomi moved back toward the shelves, but she couldn't help but wonder if maybe Naomi was right. Maybe it was good to move slow and feel things out, but how slow should they move? She wanted there to be traction, she wanted them to lead somewhere, and she didn't want to hinder that in any way. But what happened if they didn't work out? Would she even know that within the first few weeks? And what happened if they  _didn't_? Would he move out and they'd just maintain a friendship after that? Or would he stay and they'd continue on as things were? It was hard to imagine, now that she'd been so close to him, not having that again, or having to pretend she didn't want it.

Sighing, she gave her head a shake and looked over at Mina, who had moved to lean against Bonnie's leg. Reaching down, she gave her ears a scratch and decided that she would just have to see how things played out. She couldn't rush them anymore than she could slow them down. And when the time was right, it would progress as it should. She trusted that.

* * *

**…**

* * *

"What  _qualifies_  as a date?" Bonnie wondered, looking up at him from where her head lay against his thigh. She laid her book down against her chest and raised a curious eyebrow. "I mean, we're together every day. So does it only count if we dress up and go out?"

Damon lowered his own book and furrowed his brow. "I don't know. We've always had a date night, once a week. The rest is just… filler."

"Filler?" She snorted. "That's one way of putting it."

He rolled his eyes. "You know what I mean."

"No, please. Explain." She lifted up onto her elbows and turned onto her side to face him.

"It's just… regular life. Work, friends, you've got your dancing, I've got my car. And then there's date night and that's…  _u_ s _._ " He nodded, short and simple.

Bonnie stared at him searchingly. "So the best part of your week is spending a few hours with me?"

Reaching for her, he tucked her hair behind her ear. "Don't get sappy on me, Bennett. I've just become  _unnaturally_  attached to you. No big deal."

Smiling slowly, she reminded him, "You know, we spend most of that filler time together too."

"Mmhmm, I call it pre-dating. It's where I wrack up good points so when our date nights come around, you're especially fond of me."

She laughed, shaking her head.

Damon half-smiled, his expression soft, and he leaned in, kissing her sweetly. When he pulled back, he opened his book and used it to cover his face. "I was just getting to the good part," he said, flipping a page.

Still smiling, Bonnie laid her head back down against his leg and opened her book too. Filler or not, she was enjoying herself.

* * *

**…**

* * *

"Where's the girlfriend tonight?" Danny wondered.

"Her and Annette have started this Wednesday night book club that I'm 90 percent sure is just an excuse to drink wine," Damon answered, leaning back into the couch.

"Yeah, I think Carla said something about that. She was going to go, but she's been spending most of her time at her sister's. Don't get me wrong, I love Gina. Wasn't so long ago, me and Carla were living with her, their mom, had the whole family crammed into one house. It was a fire hazard just waiting to happen. Best day of my life was when we got our own place. Anyway, they've been trying to figure out wedding patterns or seating orders or something, I don't know. Last time I went, I suggested putting someone's cousin at the wrong table and it turned into a twenty-minute rant about why they'd kill each other." He sighed, shaking his head. "She put me on food duty though.  _That_  I can handle. The little details, which family member hates who, I can't remember any of that."

Damon nodded, picking at the label on his beer. "Bonnie only really had her Grams. She's got a cousin, Lucy, but I don't think they talk too much. Lucy's a traveler; doesn't stick around in one place too long."

"What about you? You got anyone? I know you had your brother, but…"

He shook his head. "Nope," he said, with a pop on the 'p'. "Stefan was the last of my family. Just me and Bon-Bon now."

"Guess it's going to be a pretty small reception when you two get married, hey?"

He snorted, tipping his beer back.

"Who says Bonnie'll take this one on for a lifetime anyway?" Chris wondered, joining them in the living room, bag of chips in hand.

"You kidding. She knows she's stuck with me for life."

Damon half-grinned, his gaze turning off for a moment. He hadn't said as much, but he thought the implication was pretty clear. Then again, Bonnie had been more than a little serious about the whole 'taking it slow' thing. It wasn't that he disagreed, exactly. Their friendship had to come first, he got that. But he also knew what he wanted, and now that he'd had a taste, he knew he wasn't letting her go anytime soon. So maybe it wasn't just about taking it slow, maybe it was about proving that he was in it for the long haul. That he wasn't looking for something easy or temporary, but something long term, something that would last the rest of their undead afterlife.

"You want another beer?" Danny asked, climbing off the couch.

Damon looked down to see his bottle was nearly empty. "Yeah. Sure." He knocked off the last of it and passed it over the back of the couch to Danny as he passed. Shaking off his thoughtful mood, he turned to Chris then. "What's Brandon up to tonight…?"

* * *

**…**

* * *

"I can't tell if this is a cheap date, or if it's cute," Damon said, licking a strip off his ice cream cone.

Bonnie rolled her eyes. "You  _love_ ice cream."

"Of course I do. But when you said you were picking our date, I thought it'd be a little more…"

"What?" She looked up at him knowingly. "That I'd be licking ice cream off  _you_."

He smirked. "Is that an option?"

Shaking her head, she told him, "Not when you're putting down my awesome date ideas it's not."

"All right, all right, it's not…  _terrible_." He reached for her hand and twined their fingers, raising it up to press a kiss to her knuckles.

Bonnie sucked in a quick breath and told him, "Your lips are cold."

"Yeah?" He grinned and then leaned in.

Laughing, she tipped her head away, but truthfully, she liked the way he peppered cold kisses over her cheek and down her neck. Arm looped around her waist, he pulled her against his side and then took a bite off the top of her chocolate brownie ice cream cone.

" _Hey_ ," she complained. "Thief."

Smiling, he shrugged, and licked his lips clean. "So? Where to next on this date?"

"Mmm… I wanted to take a walk around the park."

"Deal." Squeezing her hip, he walked them in the direction of the park, offering her his ice cream for a bite.

The sun was beginning to set, leaving the air a little cooler and the sky painted a pale purple with streaks of pink. Most of the kids had gone home for supper, leaving behind a pleasant silence, interrupted faintly by the soft chirping of birds. They walked down the cobbled path that circled the park, through tall trees with hanging green branches, robust with life.

"How was work this morning?" Bonnie wondered.

Damon made a face. He'd been called in for a last minute shift that, thankfully, ended early, but still took up more of his Saturday than he wanted it to. As he took in a deep breath, Bonnie rested her head against his shoulder, nodding and humming alongside his story. She liked moments like this, where they shared their days, the good and the bad. It was one of her favorite parts of their friendship, and she appreciated that it was still a comfortable part of their budding relationship.

There was a tension to things now, to the touches that used to be so casual, because now she was aware of where they could lead. Where she  _wanted_ them to lead. And knowing that it was something he wanted too made her stomach tighten up. There was still hesitation, still a little uncertainty, but it was mixed so completely with the natural comfort of each other that sometimes she forgot that was what it was at all.

Instead of letting herself worry anymore, she just listened to him, and his exasperation over Danny trying yell jokes at him. Mimicking his best friend, Damon told her, "I really wanted a camouflage shirt… but I couldn't  _find_  one!"

Bonnie laughed, in part because she knew Damon played at irritation, while some part of him actually enjoyed Danny's terrible jokes.

* * *

**…**

* * *

"I have to go," he murmured against her mouth.

"One more," she breathed, wrapping her arm around his neck and kissing him again.

Damon hummed, his hands sliding from her hips up her back. It wouldn't take much to gather her up, legs wrapped around his waist, and sit her down on the counter. But he had work this morning, no matter how much he wanted to skip it. An amused voice in his head reminded him that work never used to be a priority, especially not one that meant denying a beautiful woman. But work helped pay for their home and their date nights and their  _life_ together. So really, in the long run, he was being smart about this.

He didn't feel so smart when he pulled back from Bonnie's pecking lips, especially when her counter was to start kissing down his neck, her fingers dancing at the edges of his jeans, slipping in under his shirt to tease his skin.

Licking his mouth, he took a deep breath and gave his head a shake. "Danny's gonna be here any minute."

She raised her head and grinned at him, wrinkling her nose. "Then I have sixty seconds,  _at least_."

Damon groaned, but didn't stop her as she leaned back in and tugged his shirt down to press kisses along his collar bones.

What was one more minute?

When he finally hopped in Danny's truck, he rolled his eyes at his friends' jeering over all the hickeys he was sporting. "Yeah, yeah, let's get to work," he muttered dismissively. But there was something warm in his chest, keenly aware that this morning was everything he'd wanted, and it felt good to finally have it.

* * *

**…**

* * *

Damon flipped his 3D glasses up on top of his head and leaned his seat back a little. "You're sure this is the one with the extra blood and gore?" he asked.

Kayla nodded, tossing a few pieces of popcorn into her mouth before rubbing her buttery, salty fingers on her skirt. Leaned back in her seat, she had her feet up on the dash, crossed at the ankle, her clunky back boots discarded on the floor. "Mmhmm. It's a limited edition screening. Two nights only."

"And they thought they'd put it out here, for any average person to see as they were driving by?" he asked, taking a look around the drive-in theater.

Kayla snorted. "I'm sure the boring people have all their kids hidden away at home. Or they took them to see the new Sponge-Bob movie."

"Is that bitterness I hear, Dark and Angsty?"

She rolled her eyes at him, and threw a piece of popcorn at the side of his head. "Hey, you invited me along, remember?"

"Yes. Because I was hoping you'd be better company. Nobody else likes these movies." He grinned at her, all teeth. "It's a  _bonding_ experience."

"Nothing like mass murder to bring people together," she mused.

His mouth turned up. "Exactly. See?"

She scoffed, but half-smiled. "Where's Bonnie tonight?"

"Carla's having another dress fitting. So Bon's getting poked and measured while  _we_  get to eat all the junk food we want." He wiggled his eyebrows as he grabbed up the fully loaded hot dog he'd bought at the concession. "So when's this thing start anyway?"

"Ten minutes or so." Kayla looked at him side-long as he ate his hot dog, humming appreciatively with each bite. It took her a little while, but eventually she said, "Thanks. For inviting me."

"Sure." He shrugged a shoulder and swiped a bit of mustard from his lips. "Like I said, Half-Pint. It's good to have someone who likes this stuff as much as I do."

She smiled slowly, ducking her eyes. "I tried to get my dad to watch a few with me, but he just didn't have the stomach for it. He's more of a documentary kind of guy, I guess. And my mom's pretty squeamish. She prefers comedies, light-hearted stuff, you know?"

"Yeah, I know the type."

"I kind of like it though. I mean, I wouldn't go out and hurt someone for kicks or anything. Mostly I just like making fun of all the idiots that run upstairs when someone's in the house or go into the dark woods like there isn't some crazy killer on the loose." She shrugged. "I don't know. It's fun."

"Very." He grabbed up his drink and took a long drag from the straw. "Mocking people is one of my favorite things to do."

Kayla laughed under her breath and grabbed up a handful of popcorn. "Then this is going to be fun."

Damon smirked. " _Tons_."

* * *

**…**

* * *

"Are you awake?" Bonnie whispered.

Damon's lips twitched as he blinked his eyes open slowly. "Mmhmm."

She reached across the space between them and traced her fingers down the side of his face. "Who was your favorite person growing up?"

He hummed, his eyes at half mast, and he said, "My mother."

"Lily?" She dragged her finger around the curve of his chin.

He nodded. "She wasn't like my father. She was…  _gentle_." He licked his lips, his brow furrowed. "Before Stefan, when I was young, I was small, always underfoot… I used to hide in her skirts whenever I heard father's voice. And she let me. Father would always tell her she was being too soft on me. That I needed to grow a backbone. But she didn't care… She just wanted me to feel safe… and loved."

"Did you?" she murmured.

"With her? Yes. Always." He caught her hand and raised her fingers, pressing a kiss to the palm before he brought it down to rest on his chest, atop his heart. "What about you? Hm? Who was Bonnie Bennett's favorite person?"

She smiled, her eyes falling for a moment. "I was always a daddy's girl. I'd do anything for his attention. He worked a lot though, even then. He was in and out all the time, always kissing my forehead and telling me he was sorry, but he'd make it up to me… So I spent a lot of my time at Grams'. I used to resent it, all the time he didn't spend with me. I'd cry in her lap until I fell asleep, and she's just stroke my hair and tell me it'd be okay. Or she'd tap by chin and tell me to buck up, you can't change what's already happened... I'm glad now, that I got that time with her."

The quiet of their bedroom surrounded them then, and Bonnie could feel as he started to drift asleep. She shifted over a little, and leaned across the space to press a kiss to his brow. He made a nose, a quiet huff of air, but sleep swept him away. Resting beside him, she smiled at his moon-lit face, and closed her eyes, lulled by the steady beat of his heart under her hand.

* * *

**…**

* * *

For the record, being able to kiss Bonnie Bennett at any time, for any reason, was one of Damon's favorite things to do. He was no longer resigned to the forehead or the cheek —though he still did, because he liked to— but now he also got to enjoy the plush comfort of her mouth. Which, in case anybody was wondering, was  _phenomenal_. He'd had an expectation that he and Bonnie would have great chemistry—all that passionate fighting had to lead somewhere— and, as he was learning, much per usual, he was  _right_.

Bonnie might argue that last point; he was sure she would have a bullet-point list of all the times he'd been wrong. All of which he would roll his eyes at before cutting her off – with a kiss, because he could do that now.

"Damon, are you even listening?"

"Mmhmm. Something about work and beeswax and how you need to make more honey-lemon candles because they're selling out faster than you expected," he said, raising his gaze from her mouth to her eyes. "It's called multi-tasking. I'm an expert."

Bonnie rolled her eyes. "At what exactly?"

He grinned, rather goofily she would probably tell him. "Admiring you and listening to you at the same time."

Apparently he was also cheesy.

Bonnie shook her head, but he wasn't surprised when she leaned in to him, pressing quick, teasing pecks against his lips as her fingers ran through his hair. "I still have work to do," she said, a clipboard in her lap and a pen waiting to check off each part of her list.

"Work can wait," he assured, before pushing the clipboard away and pulling her closer, their chests pressed together as he maneuvered her into his lap. "It'll be there…  _after_." He wiggled his eyebrows before ducking down to kiss her neck.

She groaned, but didn't push him back. And he knew, if she really wanted to stop and focus and get her work done, she would put her foot down. But she was enjoying this freedom as much as he was; he could feel it in the way her fingers kept reaching for him in the mornings before work. How she would pull him back in for just  _one more_ kiss, Danny honking the horn outside impatiently.

It was still new for them, still in the honeymoon phase some would say, and he wanted to enjoy every part of it. As far as he was concerned, they could stay here, right here, basking in it all.

She tugged on his hair so he would lean back and stared down at him, her eyes half-lidded. Her gaze washed over his face like she was trying to memorize him, like she might wake up and find it was all a dream. He caught her chin between his fingers and tilted it down. " _Se questo è un sogno, non ho mai voglia di svegliarsi_."

She didn't know what he said and she had no idea how sincerely he meant it. But she tipped her chin down and kissed the tips of his fingers as if she did; delicately teasing her lips over them. And Damon had known love before; fiery and dramatic and altogether consuming. But this… this was something completely different, and he was going to enjoy every second of it.

* * *

**…**

* * *

Damon was sweating. His dress shirt was unbuttoned halfway down his chest, and his damp hair stuck up in every direction. The music the band was playing was  _almost_ too loud, but he loved it. He loved the feeling in his chest and the way his cheeks hurt from laughing. Bonnie hadn't let go of his hand since they started dancing, and he twirled her under his arm again, smiling when she grinned up at him. The underside of her hair was sticking to her neck and her face was flushed, much of her make-up already wiped away. But it was perfect.

He couldn't remember enjoying these town events much in the past, but he was growing an affinity for them these last few years. A concert in the middle of town square was right up his alley. He could do with a little more classic rock, but as long as it got Bonnie's hips moving, he was a fan.

Tonight was date night, a ringing endorsement for why he loved nights like these. The concert was raising money for the school, and they'd taken a good chunk out of their jar as donation. They'd eaten corn dogs from a vendor and shared a coke between them before the lure of the music became too much.

It was moments like these, with adrenaline pumping through his veins and Bonnie's fingers twined in his, that he knew dying was the best thing he'd ever done in his life. And he didn't regret it. Oh, he had regrets about his  _life_  – he could fill a book series with them – but his afterlife? It was unfolding better than he could have ever anticipated.

Maybe this was the life he was supposed to have, that he was  _meant_ to have, if things hadn't gone completely and totally wrong early on. Either way, he had it now, and it was everything. He looked down at Bonnie, her hair bouncing at her shoulders as she jumped in place, singing along dramatically. The music hollowed out in his ears, a distant buzzing, and all there was was her.  _Her_ , smiling, her cheeks red, sweat making her skin shine, and he loved her. He loved her so completely, and so entirely, that his heart hurt a little just in knowing it.

He didn't say it though. No, he sang along with her, and he pulled her in close. He kissed her forehead and he held onto her hands a little tighter, and he thanked Sheila Bennett for giving him something he probably didn't deserve, something he could never truly earn, but that he'd gotten anyway. And he was going to hold onto it with every damn part of himself.

* * *

**…**

* * *

Say what you want about Gladys, and Damon certainly had, but she could grow some fine tulips. How she managed to bend down and go through the intensive gardening routine she did with her shoulders so stooped and her feet always shuffling, Damon didn't know, but she did. Which resulted in some truly beautiful flowers littering the beds in front of her house.

Damon plucked a particularly bright purple one, humming to himself as he took a sniff of it, and crossed the driveway to the path leading to the front door of his house. Bonnie was at the sink, washing up their lunch dishes, the window open. Damon walked over, resting his arms on the window sill, and smiled at her.

Looking up, she swiped a stray piece of hair from her cheek. "Hey," she said, raising an eyebrow. "I thought you were working on your car."

"Was. Done now. She's  _almost_ ready… Just needs a paint job and then we can take her for a ride." He wiggled his eyebrows.

"If all she needs is paint, can't we take her for a test drive now?"

"No way. I'm not letting anybody see her until she's in pristine condition." He held the tulip out for her and tapped it against her nose. "For you."

Bonnie sniffed it, her mouth turned up at the corners. "Did you steal that from Gladys' garden?"

"Steal.  _Liberate_." He shrugged, twirling it around in his fingers. "What's the difference?"

Shaking her head, she wiped her hands on a dish towel and plucked the flower from him. "It's beautiful."

Stacking his arms on the sill, he beamed up at her, "So are you."

"Yeah?" She tucked the flower behind her ear and leaned forward, pushing off on the sink so they were face to face.

"Yeah." He kissed her, making a dramatic smacking noise as he did. "You done in here? I was gonna take Mina for a walk around the block."

Smiling, she nodded, dropping back to her feet. "Okay." Walking away from the sink, she made her way to the closet to get out Mina's leash and a few bags in case she decided to use some unsuspecting person's lawn as a bathroom. Slipping on her shoes, she walked out the front door and joined him on the path, an eager Mina sitting between them, tail wagging hopefully.

Bonnie leaned down and clipped the leash on. She reached for Damon's hand and they walked down the driveway to the sidewalk, beginning their trek around the block.

"If you hold it until we get back and lay a log on Gladys' lawn, I'll give you a treat, Meen," Damon told her, grinning.

" _Damon_." Bonnie elbowed him, rolling her eyes.

"Positive reinforcement," he told her.

"Hardly."

"You know, Bon, this just highlights how different our parenting techniques are." He leaned down, pressing a kiss to her temple. "I'm the fun one."

"You're the 'high-five your kid for getting a police escort home after a party because it means he's  _cool_ ' one."

"Any kid of mine  _would_ be cool."

Bonnie rolled her eyes. "You're ridiculous."

"And you  _love_ me for it." He gave her hand a tug and lifted his arm, bringing it around her and hugging her to his side. "Don't you? Huh? I make your life  _interesting_ …" He stared down at her with wide, teasing eyes.

Bonnie pursed her lips to hide her smile. "You definitely do  _that_."

He grinned. "You're welcome."

She laughed under her breath, but didn't argue. She did, however, hand him the pick-up bags when, as soon as they got back to their place, Mina went straight to Gladys' lawn and hunkered down.

Instead of being upset, he merely smirked. "That's my girl."

* * *

**…**

* * *

"You have flour in your hair," Damon said, grinning as he turned away from the pasta they were making from scratch.

"You have flour on your  _hands_ ," she cried, leaning out of his reach, laughing as he caught her around the waist and pulled her in, their fronts pressed together.

He reached for a stray curl against her cheek and slowly pushed it back, his fingers teasing over her skin and around the shell of her ear. He stared down at her, the laughter lines around his eyes making her breath catch in her throat. His gaze dropped to her lips briefly, and then met hers once more. "Kissing is slow."

"It starts out that way," she murmured, but didn't stop him as he turned her so her back was to the counter, and lifted her up. She did laugh, however, when a cloud of flour rose up from where she was sitting.

He laughed too, but he didn't seem the least bit worried, his palms cupping her cheeks as he stepped between her knees.

And she knew it was going to make a mess, she knew their pasta might not ever get made, but she leaned in when he did, she met the slant of his lips with her own, and she let herself get a little lost in him.

It stayed slow, that searching, gentle exploration that they'd perfected over the last two months. Her fingers playing at the collar of his shirt, skimming over his neck, reaching up into his hair and holding on tightly.

She remembered what felt like a lifetime ago, when she'd been a teenager and first started dating, when there was that mixture of hesitation and eagerness in every touch. She remembered worrying where her hands would go or if her breath stunk or if she was doing anything right or wrong. And sometimes, this felt like that. It felt so new and she didn't want to screw it up. But, more often than not, it felt better than new. It felt easy in that way that things that have been coming for so long often do.

So when those anxious feelings bubbled up, she just tried to remind herself that Damon had seen her at her worst. He'd seen her in the early morning, when she'd just woken up and looked like the walking dead. He'd seen her sick with the flu, her skin pasty and dry and her nose a raw red color. He'd been there for all of that and, made his jokes, of course, but he stuck around. She'd seen him at his worst too, bloody and savage, angry and vengeful, and, more recently, sick with the flu. There was little they hadn't seen of each other, and not a lot, at least she felt, that would turn her away now.

His hand slid down her back, fingers creeping up under her shirt, and she knew, sooner rather than later, she would have to slow them down, but for now, she would enjoy it. The way his warm, rough fingers danced over her skin and his mouth made its way down her neck. She hadn't realized just how starved she'd been of touch these last few years until having that touch became a possibility again, and now she found she never wanted it to stop.

* * *

**…  
**

* * *

Bonnie leaned back in her wooden lawn chair, a cold beer in hand and her favorite shades covering her eyes. The boys— Damon, Chris, Brandon, and Danny— were all trying to play badminton with an eager Mina running around underfoot, barking when they wouldn't let her catch the elusive birdie.

"They look like they're having fun," Carla snorted, taking up a hot dog from her plate and biting off the end. Seated beside Bonnie, legs crossed underneath her, she'd been happy to relax in the sun rather than spend any more time on her feet.

Danny tripped over Mina, reaching too far and missing the birdie by a few inches. Shoving off the ground, he threw his hands up.

"She's just trying to help." Damon shrugged, kneeling down and whistling for Mina to come to him. He scratched her ears and pressed affectionate kisses all over her face.

"Tell her to help  _them_ out then," Danny muttered, grabbing up his badminton racket and dusting grass off himself.

"Don't listen to him, he's just jealous. You would've caught that, wouldn't you, huh?"

Mina's tail wagged excitedly.

Groaning, Danny dropped his head back. "Bonnie,  _please_ , call your substitute child. Keep her out of the way; at least until we beat these guys."

"I'm pretty sure you'll lose anyway, but if it's really that important…" She rolled her eyes lightheartedly before clapping her hand down on her thigh. "Come here, Mina, come on…"

Licking Damon's face a little quicker, Mina squirmed her way out of his arms and ran up the deck stairs to Bonnie, laying her head down on her lap and peering up at her, panting happily.

Breaking off a piece of cold hot dog, Bonnie fed it to her and brought Mina around to sit between her legs, her fingers soothingly rubbing over her head as they watched Danny and Damon try to take Chris and Brandon on again, pointlessly. Brandon and Chris were a cohesive unit, seeming to know exactly where the other would move and reacting in sync with one another, putting the other two boys to shame as they continued to bump into each other and try to outdo one another each time they went for the birdie.

"They're like big children," Carla said, but the amusement in her voice was affectionate.

Bonnie nodded. "And sore losers."

"I  _had_ that one," Danny complained, frowning.

"You were completely  _off_ ," Damon argued. "You're supposed to stay on your side; that one was coming at  _me_."

"You've been playing my side the whole time!"

"It's not my fault you're too slow!"

Before the argument could escalate any further, Carla said, "Danny, honey, why don't you throw the steaks on?"

Danny glanced at her, hesitated, then pursed his lips and walked toward the porch, grumbling under his breath. Rolling her eyes, Carla stood, walking toward him, and rubbed his back soothingly.

Damon on the other hand, tossed the racket away and climbed the stairs to take a seat on the deck floor beside Mina. He rested his chin on Bonnie's knee, atop the fabric of her dress, and looked up at her. "He  _is_ slow," he pressed.

"Maybe. But you don't really give him much space for improvement."

He snorted.

Reaching for him, she scrubbed her fingers through his hair. "Besides, you're the one who always picks him for your partner."

"I have to.  _Solidarity_."

Bonnie's lips twitched. "Uh-huh."

Patting Mina' head, he turned his face down and pressed a kiss to Bonnie's leg. "Did you remember the steaks I picked up?"

"The ones you reminded me to grab three times because, and I quote, 'Danny always picks the wrong ones. The marbling is all wrong.'  _Those_ steaks."

He pressed his teeth down against her knee playfully. "Are you teasing me, Bon-Bon?"

Smiling, she shrugged. "I'm pointing out your more…  _tenacious_  qualities."

"You know, it wasn't so long ago,  _you_ were the control freak in this relationship."

"I still am. I just think you have a few control issues of your own." She stretched her fingers across his forehead, brushing a few dark strands out of his eyes. "On the bright side, I still find it an adorable quirk."

He grinned. "Well, I am  _exceptionally_ adorable."

Wrinkling her nose, she teased, "You have your moments."

"Yeah?" Pushing up, one hand balanced on her knee, he leaned into her, nuzzling his nose against hers. "Just moments?"

Bonnie stared into his eyes, his lips close enough that they were faintly ghosting against hers. "Not sure 'adorable' is one of my top adjectives for you…" she murmured.

He chuckled lowly, mouth curved up in a suggestive smirk. "No? Can I get a list, Miss Bennett?"

"I'm not sure your ego needs any more stroking."

Catching her bottom lip between his teeth, he gave it a tug, released it, and said, "Stroking is  _exactly_  what it needs."

A clearing throat caught their attention then and Bonnie's eyes cut to the left to see an amused Chris standing there, eyebrow raised. "You two know you're in public, right?"

"Not sure that's ever stopped him before," Bonnie said, but pressed a kick quick kiss to Damon's mouth. "I should see if Carla needs any help." Sliding out from under him, she stood, smoothing out her dress. "You guys want anything while I'm inside?"

Taking a seat in her empty chair, Damon leaned back and said, "A beer. Please?"

"Same, if you don't mind, Bonnie," Chris told her.

"Sure."

Walking off to the house, Mina nipping at heels, Bonnie let out a shaky breath, her heart beating hard in her chest and her skin still warm. She forced herself not to look back; like Chris said, they were in public, which meant they needed to keep it decent. Even if everything inside her wanted to be very  _indecent_.

* * *

**…**

* * *

"All right, wine, fire… Are we missing anything?" Damon wondered, standing in the kitchen, rubbing his hands together as his eyes darted around searchingly.

Sitting on the couch, Bonnie smiled at him. "Just you." She patted the seat beside her and waited.

On the floor by the fire, Mina lay curled up, sleeping.

Damon hit the light switch, leaving the room lit only by the fire, and crossed to her, taking a seat on the couch while she poured them each a glass of red wine.

"Not a bad date," he said, leaning back in the corner of the couch, his arm spread across the back. "I still think we had enough in the jar to go somewhere nice, though."

Shuffling back, Bonnie sidled up next to him, leaning into his side. "This  _is_  nice," she insisted, tipping her head back to see him. "I like it when we go out, don't get me wrong. It's a nice treat. But me and you, right here, that's perfect to me."

Damon stared down at her, his eyes gentle. He leaned in, pressing a lingering kiss to her forehead, and murmured, "Softie."

She laughed, smiling happily, and raised her glass for a sip of wine.

"Mm. You know what we could do?"

"I'm not playing any board games with you," she said, shaking her head.

"Because I always win."

"Because you always  _cheat_."

"Same difference." He shrugged. "But that's not what I meant."

She looked over at him curiously.

Tapping her shoulder, he said, "The book, three shelves up, green spine…"

Handing him her wine glass, she stood from the couch and walked over the bookshelf, examining it. Her fingers walked over a few familiar titles.

"Warmer… warmer... No, colder…"

She moved her hand right and slid it up another shelf, finally stopping on a weathered green spine, the gold writing all but flaked away entirely. She tugged it free and brought it back to him, taking a seat in the comfortable nook she'd carved out against his side. Trading her wine for the book, he placed his own glass aside and thumbed through it, humming thoughtfully here or there.

Bonnie waited, patient as she stared at the flames of the fire flickering in the grate. It was peaceful, nights like these, where everything but each faded away. She remembered sometimes, how awkward it had been in the beginning, when they'd first appeared here and they were forced to get used to constantly being in each other's presence. He'd been so annoying then. Or, at least, she felt like he was. Sometimes she wondered if that was just his personality and she'd only been irritated by it because he was all she had, a constant reminder of what she'd lost and what she wanted back. He was everything but that now. Yes, he still reminded her of home, but not loss, not regret.

In a weird way, dying had brought her exactly what her Grams' had told her it would;  _peace_. From the turmoil of her life, the pressure of being who she was in their small group of friends; a healer and a witch, the weight of the world on shoulders too narrow, too inexperienced, to carry it. The life she had now felt like it was shaped exactly how she wanted it, how she  _needed_  it. It wasn't perfect, but it was as close as it could get. And she couldn't imaging wanting anything more than she had.

"All right. You listening?" he asked.

"Hm?" She turned to him, eyeing the book, and nodded. Resting her head back against his shoulder, she smiled gently.

Clearing his throat, he first read it to her in Spanish. Bonnie closed her eyes; she loved it when he spoke in different languages, the fluent way his tongue wrapped around each syllable, his voice a little deeper. His fingers stroked through her hair, tucking it behind her ear, and then gently stroked down her neck.

Letting out a soft sigh, she stretched her head back a little more and let his teasing fingers lull her into relaxation.

When he read the poem again, it was in English.

" _I do not love you as if you were salt-rose, or topaz,_  
or the arrow of carnations the fire shoots off.  
I love you as certain dark things are to be loved,  
in secret, between the shadow and the soul.

 _I love you as the plant that never blooms_  
but carries in itself the light of hidden flowers;  
thanks to your love a certain solid fragrance,  
risen from the earth, lives darkly in my body.

 _I love you without knowing how, or when, or from where._  
I love you straightforwardly, without complexities or pride;  
so I love you because I know no other way than this:  
where I does not exist, nor you,  
so close that your hand on my chest is my hand,  
so close that your eyes close as I fall asleep."

She swallowed tightly as his voice fell away, as her heartbeat raised and thudded in her chest. When she opened her eyes, he was staring down at the book, his brow furrowed in thought.

"Damon?"

"Hm."

"You make me happy."

He didn't answer, so she reached for him, catching his chin and turning it so their eyes met. "You make me  _happy_ ," she reiterated.

He blinked a little quicker, a faint smile upturning the corner of his mouth. "Figure it's only fair, since you make me pretty damn happy too." He tapped the tip of her nose. "When you're not arguing with me."

She scoffed. "That's my default setting."

"Fine," he sighed. "Even  _that_  makes me happy…" He shook his head, rubbing his thumb around the curve of her mouth. "It's like a fever I can't shake… Maybe I don't want to."

"Good. I don't want you to either."

His tongue dabbed at his lower lip as he stared down at her searchingly. "I know you're worried this might screw us up somehow… That despite every sign saying different, we're going to end in some messy break up that ruins our friendship… But I don't see that when I look at you." He half-smiled faintly. "I know I'm impulsive and my track record with relationships is… questionable—"

She snorted.

"—but I knew when I got into them that they were gonna hurt. I just convinced myself that the pain was worth it. That love, true love,  _real,_ epic love… it has to hurt." He swallowed tightly. "But I was wrong. Because this, whatever this is, it's  _better_. And I know if I make promises, you're going to tell me I can't be sure, I can't know we won't screw up, and maybe you're right. But I know what I see, I know what I  _want_ when I look at you, and it's  _everything_."

Swallowing tightly, Bonnie nodded slowly. She leaned up then, drawing him down, and slanted her lips over his. He tasted faintly of red wine, or maybe that was her. Turning to face him better, her glass was discarded and the book was shuffled out of the way, falling to the floor with a thud. Wrapping her arms around his neck, she slid into his lap, fingers sliding through his hair and holding on. Kissing him still felt new, exciting, like little bursts of light going off inside her. It reminded her of her magic, of how it used to rise up under her skin, deep from within, twisting and turning, expanding until it surged out of her. That was what kissing Damon felt like to her. Like fire at her fingertips, simultaneously independent and all hers.

They slid back to the couch, her resting atop him, bodies twisting and pressing together. His hands slipped up under her sweater, warm and callused, dragging across her skin, reaching and caressing. His mouth buried at her neck, sucking and nipping at her skin. She gripped a hand around his shoulders, squeezing and pulling at his shirt. He felt good in the cradle of her hips, heavy and hard.

When she thought of what it would be like with Damon, she'd always imagined it would be a hurricane. Fast and passionate, a struggle for control, power meeting power. But it wasn't like that, not really. It was passionate, yes; that was a given. But it was more than that. Damon was always searching; for an equal, for someone to match him, to meet him where he was rather than raise him up to some impossible standard or lower him to someone he wasn't. He was gentle and searching and always waiting for what he gave to be reciprocated. She wondered sometimes, if that was always how it was, or if it was who he'd grown into. If this was yet another way that he showed he wasn't the man of before who wanted to be consumed by love, but instead the man who wanted to share love.

And she did love him. She hadn't put it into words, but they were there, at the tip of her tongue, waiting for her to exhale, to breathe them into existence.

But they could wait, for now.

Instead, she let herself enjoy this, enjoy  _them_. She leaned into his touch and tried to stop thinking so much. Because being in the moment, experiencing everything he was offering, was so much better than thinking about what if's that may never come to fruition. So maybe making out like teenagers wouldn't change anything, for better or worse, but they liked it, and they wanted it, so they took it.

* * *

**…**

* * *

"Hey, there's a spell in here to reanimate dead animals," Bonnie said from where she sat, cross-legged on the floor of the living room, leafing through her grimoire for the  _n_ th time.

Damon looked over at her from where he was chopping up vegetables for a salad. He tossed a chunk of cucumber into his mouth and frowned. "I've seen Pet Sematary. That's got bad news written all over it."

Bonnie hummed, scrubbing her fingers over Mina's ears. "Why do you think there's a spell to bring back pets but not people?"

"Because resurrection is bad juju. A pet's soul is probably nothing to a human's." He shrugged and scooped up the veggies to toss in the bowl. Eyes wide, he said, "Besides, haven't you learned  _enough_  about bringing people back from the dead?"

"Yes. Probably more than your average witch. But I just find it interesting… Like there's a scale instead of just 'all resurrection is bad.' Animals, yes, dead relatives,  _no_."

"Mm, I doubt it comes highly recommended. Like I said,  _Pet. Sematary_."

Bonnie rolled her eyes. "Like you wouldn't scour the face of the earth to bring Mina back if something happened to her."

"True. But nothing is. Because Mina's going to live forever.  _Aren't you? Huh?_ "

Mina's ears perked up at the change of tone and she rolled herself onto her paws, hurrying over to sit in front of him, tail wagging as he knelt down to pet her.

"Yeah, you're going to live forever. That way mommy doesn't have to get her magic back  _just_  to resurrect you… For the record though, I wouldn't shame you if you came back zombified and tried to eat someone's face. We've  _all_  been there."

" _Damon_."

"We need to accept her as she  _is_ , Bonnie. Parenting 101."

Scoffing, she raised her grimoire, flipping the page and trying desperately to hide her amusement.

* * *

**…**

* * *

It was late, and the stars were bright. Bonnie was more than a little tipsy on a bottle of wine, and she was enjoying every bit of it. So was he. Having her curled up in his lap, his head back and her fingers stroking through his hair gently. He could be content with this, right here, for the rest of his existence.

Once upon a time, he'd wondered how long he could really live. Sure, he was a vampire, which meant, theoretically, he might never die. But given the life he'd lived, he knew it had been a matter of time. Until he pissed off the wrong person, or someone he loved got in too deep and the price he would have to pay to get them out would be his life. It was inevitable. As evidenced by where he currently was. But this… He'd never expected this. He never expected  _Life: Take Two_. Or maybe it was  _Afterlife: Take One_. Regardless, he never expected that after all the turmoil and drama, the angst and the loss, the fear and fighting, that it could all end in real, genuine peace. But here he was, sitting on his porch, with a beautiful, smart, amazing woman resting against him, and the stars twinkling high above.

And he didn't care if it wasn't real. If he'd died and this was just a consolation prize. Because it was better than he'd ever expected for himself. Better than he probably deserved.

Bonnie's lips pressed against his cheek, as if she knew what he was thinking. Sometimes he thought she did, that she could read his mind. But then she'd always been an expert on him, even when he didn't want her to be, even when he hated that she was right. Some days she knew him better than he did.

"Hey."

He looked at her, and reached up to tuck a loose curl of hair off her cheek. "Hey," he said back, his voice quiet, like he thought it might interrupt the atmosphere they'd created.

She tapped his chest and smiled. "I love you, you know?"

He smiled slowly. "Yeah?"

"Mmhmm." She nodded. "I do. I admit it."

He tapped her nose. "Well, thank you for sharing, Miss Bennett, but I think the wine might be coloring your opinion."

"Nope. Just loosening my tongue." She rubbed her fingers down the side of his face. "It's not just in that 'my heart  _hurts_ when I think about not having you' way. Although that too. But in  _all_ ways… I love you and that smirk you always give me—" She pushed at the corner of his mouth with her thumb, "—and the way you always squint your eyes at me right before you say something rude—" She narrowed her eyes for emphasis, "—and that funny swagger you have when you walk."

His mouth twitched.

And then she let out a little sigh, and she cupped his cheek. "I love you, Damon. You're my best friend. You  _are_. I mean… you're no Caroline or Elena. That history can't be replaced. But we have our own. Our own life and history, not all of it good, but so much of it… So much of it has been amazing. And I think it outweighs it, you know? I think if we put it on a scale, me and you, the good would obliterate the bad."

Damon nodded, his smile fading, and he leaned in, pressing his forehead to hers. "I love you too."

"Yeah? How much do you love me?"

He rubbed his thumbs over the curves of her cheeks. "I love you more than bourbon. And homemade pasta. And all of my original, first edition books. Annd…"

She laughed, a rumbling noise, and socked him in the chest playfully. "I know you love me." Turning her head, she rested it against his shoulder, her hand gently rubbing where she'd smacked him. "You love me more than the stars love the sky."

"You're pretty eloquent for a drunk."

"Shush." She snuggled against him. "It's okay. I won't make fun of you."

"Me? I'm not the one making grand declarations about stars—"

She covered his mouth with her hand and looked up at him. "Am I wrong?"

He stared down at her, his face softening slowly, and he shook his head.

"See?" She leaned up and kissed the back of her hand. "Was that so hard?" Dropping her head back to his shoulder, she let out a huff of a sigh. "I'm sleepy."

He peeled her hand back from his mouth and kissed the tips of her fingers before he brought it down to rest on his chest once more. "Go to sleep then. I'll carry you to bed in a little while."

Humming, she turned her face down against him and breathed in deeply, before finally closing her eyes. She drifted off quickly after that, and he stroked his fingers through her hair, tipping his head up to stare at the sky.

The stars were so bright. Brighter than they'd ever been before.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> firstly, i'm so sorry about how long it took me to update this. my muse was so up and down and school was kicking my ass like crazy. but i'm glad to be back to writing this regularly and i really appreciate all of the love and support sent my way regarding this particular story.
> 
> secondly, this chapter was originally _massive_ , but i cut it into two parts. which means the next part is finished, and very, very smutty, lol. usually i wait a week to update, but i might post a little earlier since you've had such a long way for this chapter.
> 
> thirdly, while their 'i love you's' here were very casual, the topic does pick up next chapter with them being more serious about it. so no worries there.
> 
> thank you all so, so much for reading! please try to leave a review; they're my lifeblood!
> 
> \- **lee | fina**


	10. no regrets

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **faceclaim** : [C A S T](http://sarcasticfina.tumblr.com/eternity)  
>  **warning** : S M U T ahead!

**X.**

Falling in love with Damon wasn't nearly as difficult as she'd once thought it would be. Back when Elena was waffling over her feelings for Damon, Bonnie hadn't understood it. Sure, the bad-boy image had a certain appeal to it, but she'd only seen the worst of Damon, so it was hard to understand why anyone would struggle with the idea of wanting him. But then their friendship had changed her view of him completely, turning it on its head.

It was easy to love someone who cared as much as he did. It was a journey, of course. He had to learn he  _could_ care and that it wouldn't always hurt him before he would show it. But when he did… When he did, he had the biggest heart. So she understood it now, that strange confusion over opposing ideas of who he was and who he could be. Only she was lucky; she got to see Damon grow, to be a part of that growth, and to see how positively it affected him and those around him. Falling for him was a gradual thing. She wasn't sure if it started happening back in Mystic Falls, or if it was all still too heavy, too shadowed in their history. But maybe the seeds were planted there, a tiny hope inside them that needed the right push and the right circumstances.

It was hard, being grateful in some weird way that she'd died. But there was something about this world, this life she led, that made her feel like it was the better choice. She still missed her friends, still thought of them and felt a little ache in her heart, but as time went on, she began to feel happy. Happier than she ever had in Mystic Falls. And it wasn't just Damon, even if he was a big part of it. It was having Naomi in her life, leaning on her, crying on her shoulder, and offering the same in return. It was Kayla, with her curiosity about the world and who she was and how she should leave a mark all her own. It was all of her friends and just how  _easy_ it was to be with them, to know that they cared, that they would never want more of her than she could give them. It was her store, having something all her own that she loved and enjoyed. It was Mina, sweet, beautiful Mina, always eager to cuddle and kiss and play. And yes, it was Damon. Always reaching for her hand and making her laugh and putting her first.

She'd died so young. But it felt like an age ago. It felt like her life, her real life, and all the good it had to offer, began the same moment that she ceased to exist in the regular world.

"Bonnie?"

She looked up, her brow furrowed, and smiled at Annette across from her. "Sorry?"

"You looked kind of far away. You okay?" she wondered, staring at her searchingly.

"Yeah, no, sorry. I'm fine. I just…" She shook her head. "It's the wine. Makes me introspective, I guess."

Humming, Annette topped her own glass off. "For me it just makes everything nice and quiet…"

"I'm pretty sure the babysitter does that," Naomi piped up from her seat on the adjacent couch, a book none of them had ready tossed on the cushion beside her.

Bonnie laughed, playing with the stem of her glass. "How  _is_ Lisa? Kayla said she's been babysitting since she was pretty young."

"She's a Godsend, I swear." Annette nodded. "She offered to come over this Saturday just so I could sleep in. I might adopt her. You think her parents would put up a fight?"

"A small one. But she's almost eighteen, so I'm not sure adoption will be on the table much longer."

"So I should act soon then," Annette joked, leaning back in her seat.

"Careful, you keep singing her praises and I might have to steal her away," Naomi said. "I love my kids, I do, but sometimes I just need a nap. A nine-hour nap."

"You find your own miracle, this one's mine."

Bonnie smiled, sipping at her wine, and listened to them jokingly bicker back and forth. Taking a deep breath, she let it out lowly, and sunk into the comfort of the moment.  _This_. Moments just like this were what made life nice. Friends, good wine, and peace. It was perfect.

* * *

**…**

* * *

Bonnie pressed her bare toes down against the fabric of the hammock when a cool breeze blew past her. The summer was coming to an end and, sooner rather than later, she would have to trade in her shorts for pants and her tank tops for sweaters. The shade of the tree probably wasn't helping matters, but she was too comfortable to get up. An afternoon nap was on her schedule and that was exactly what she was going to do, even if a blanket would make things a little better. Or that shawl Annette had knit for her last month.

"I'm not complaining, because I'm a big fan of you in shorts, but you look  _cold_ ," Damon said.

His voice startled her a little and her eyes flew open abruptly. She blinked up at him. "What're you doing home? I thought you were helping Danny with repairs in that basement, with the burst pipe?"

"Was. But Haller hasn't had the water pumped out yet. Place is a  _mess_ down there. He's got a guy coming in to take care of the water and then we'll start ripping out the wood rot and repairing what we can. Which means…" He wiggled his eyebrows at her, mouth turned up at the corner. "I have the afternoon off. So move over; we're sharing."

Bonnie smiled up at him. "Why should I? I'm pretty comfortable with this whole thing to myself."

Leaning over, he caught the far edge of the hammock. "Because. I'll let you tuck your cold toes under me to warm them up."

She hummed, pretending to think it over, and then shuffled over a little, giving him an inviting nod.

He grinned at her and, with a little maneuvering, managed to join her in the hammock, with him on the bottom and her half on top of him, legs twined around one of his, toes tucked against his calf.

"See?" He stroked his fingers through her hair and down her back. "Much better."

"Mmph." She slid her arm around his waist and nuzzled her face against his chest. "You  _are_ pretty warm."

He laughed lowly, the rumble of it in his chest making her smile. His hand rubbed over her shoulder soothingly as he pressed a kiss to her forehead.

Bonnie closed her eyes, breathing him in, and let the rhythmic swaying mixed with the comfort of him body lull her away.

* * *

**…**

* * *

Damon could make her silhouette out through the frosted glass of the shower stall as she finished brushing her teeth. He tipped his head back under the spray and scrubbed the shampoo out of his hair.

"What time are you and the Kid gonna be done?" he wondered, talking louder to be heard over the noise of the water.

She paused, spit toothpaste into the sink, and answered, "Two, I think. We're going to get breakfast and do a little shopping. She's been having some issues at home. I think she wants to move out on her own."

He hummed before wondering, "Is that a good idea?"

"I don't know. Maybe. Kayla's pretty independent. I know she loves her parents, but they knock heads a lot. They're very… different."

He frowned thoughtfully before reaching for the conditioner. "Well if she starts looking at places, I wanna be there. She shouldn't take the first place she sees, and she won't know what to ask them. Could be mold or rot in the walls or something."

Bonnie was quiet for a moment. "All right, papa bear."

He rolled his eyes. "Just being smart."

"Mm-hmm. So it has nothing to do with the fact that you really like Kayla?"

"I really like  _you_. I  _tolerate_ Kayla."

Bonnie laughed. "That sounds oddly familiar. Kind of like how you used to feel about me…"

He grumbled, making a faux-hawk with his hair.

"Admit it, Damon. You like Kayla. She's grown on you."

"She's not  _always_  annoying."

He couldn't be certain, but he thought she was laughing at him again.

"I'll be sure to tell her that. And I'll let her know that if she wants to look at places, you'd like to double check they're safe. Because you care. And you're worried."

He rolled his eyes, but didn't argue.

Dropping her toothbrush in the cup, she said, "Okay. I'm heading out. Are we still on for dinner at Rosario's?"

"I made a reservation for five o'clock," he answered, gargling water before spitting it out.

"Okay. I'll meet you back here. Don't forget to take the garbage out. We almost missed it last week."

He nodded, despite knowing she couldn't see him, and then reached for the door on the shower and leaned out of it. "Kiss."

Bonnie smiled at him and crossed the room. She leaned in and pecked his lips before looking up. "I like the 'hawk."

He grinned, wiggling his eyebrows. "You could always join me in here and I'll show you how it's done."

"Tempting." She kissed him one last time. "But no."

"Fine." He scrunched his nose up at her and then winked. "Love you." He ducked back into the stall.

"Love you too," she said, her voice a little softer, and then she was gone.

As soon as he heard the door close behind her, reverberating through the house, he got back to his usual shower routine. By singing.  _Loudly_.

Joining him, Mina sat by the tub and howled along. He could be biased, but he thought it was his best duet yet.

* * *

**…**

* * *

Damon was on cloud nine. His car, a masterpiece of machinery, was officially painted.

He'd pulled a few strings and owed a couple favors, but he'd managed to get it painted for a pretty decent price, and he was  _proud_.

When he pulled up in front of the house, his cheeks were starting to ache from grinning so much.

Bonnie walked into the front yard smiling, her hands on her hips as she took in the car from end to end. With a whistle, she walked right up to the passenger door and leaned in through the window. "All right, I take it back, this hunk of junk might've been worth it."

"You haven't seen anything." He patted the seat beside him. "Come on, we're going for a drive."

Grinning indulgently, she climbed into the passenger seat. "Wow me."

He smirked at her and pulled away from the curb, engine roaring. It was fast, gliding smoothly across the pavement, and ate up the street quicker than Bonnie's little environmental tin-can could ever. He let out a whoop of joy and took the corner a little faster than necessary. It felt good, exhilarating, to be back in a car more his speed.

Bonnie watched him, amused, but also happy. He could tell from the way her lips turned up on one side. She was happy for him.

He took them for a ride around the town, taking the more deserted streets so he could really hit the gas and put on a show. Bonnie laughed, one of her arms hanging out the window, feeling the wind whip past.

By the time they were driving down Main Street, on the way home, the sun was setting in the distance, painting the sky a striking reddish orange. He reached for her hand and lifted it to his mouth, pressing a kiss to her knuckles. She rubbed her thumb over his lips.

"Happy?" she asked, her voice soft.

He looked over at her and answered, " _Ecstatic_."

And he meant it. Not just with the car, but with her and their life and everything going on around him. He was happier than he ever had been in his life, and this… this was just one more thing to add to the pile.

* * *

**…**

* * *

"Since when do we golf?" Damon wondered, frowning over the expanse of green in front of him.

"What's wrong with golf?" Danny wondered, leaning on his club. "I kind of like it."

"You haven't even taken a swing yet." Damon rolled his eyes and held a hand out toward the caddy for his club. "And last week you said the only golf worth playing is  _'mini_.'"

"I like the themed parks they have," he admitted, shrugging. "Anyway, you know who likes golf?  _Bill_. And you know who could give us a raise?  _Bill_."

"So to make more money, we're going to  _spend_ money on a membership to this little white collar golf club? That's what you're saying?" Damon eyed the distance between him and the flag marking the hole.

"Hey, we get a hobby and we make nice with the boss."

Positioning himself, Damon readjusted his stance a few times. "I  _have_ a hobby. And it doesn't involve spending time with my boss.  _Ever_."

Danny snorted. "Drinking isn't a hobby."

"That depends on how good you are at it. And I like to mix it up with a few games of darts or pool. When I'm feeling particularly happy, I might even sing karaoke. All things I would rather be doing than playing golf."

Sighing, he said, "Fine. You beat me, I'll buy the beers."

Damon smirked. "Deal."

Drawing his club back, he took a swing, and whistled as it landed just a few feet short of the hole. At Danny's incredulous expression, he laughed and said, "Just because I don't like it doesn't mean I'm not  _good_ at it." Patting his friend on the chest, he said, "You're up."

* * *

**…**

* * *

"Hey." Damon's lips brushed her ear as he leaned over the back of the booth seat. "Come dance with me."

Bonnie tipped her head back to look up at him. "Is that an order?"

He stuck his bottom lip out in an exaggerated pout.

Rolling her eyes, Bonnie slid out from the booth she was sharing with Annette, Naomi and Brandon. She stood and took his hand as he offered it, letting him lead her out onto the designated dancefloor of the bar.

He brought both of her arms up to wrap around his neck while his own circled her waist.

She smiled. "Feels like a middle school dance," she told him.

"Yeah?" His fingers teased over the small of her back and skated up her back.

Breath caught in her throat, she gazed up at him from under her lashes. "Maybe not quite…"

He half-smiled and pressed a sweet kiss to her lips before he ducked down and pressed his face into the crook of her neck. They swayed, moving around the floor a few inches at a time, but Bonnie forgot about the other people. Her focus narrowed down to the song playing over the speakers and Damon's fingers moving over her skin, so light she could almost convince herself she was imagining it. But he wrapped one arm low around her waist, squeezing her hip, while the other slowly made its way up the back of her shirt.

She shivered and bit down on her lip, turning her head a little to rest her chin against his shoulder. He kissed her neck, lips smoothing down the slope, teeth gently scraping. Her heartbeat felt unsteady, quickening and skipping. He smelled so good and felt so nice, pressed up against her. Her fingers sunk into his hair, stroked at his neck, and teased down his shoulder. She was content to lose herself in their moment, eager to forget about the world around them and get caught up in him.

But eventually the song ended, and Danny came looking for his buddy to even out the pool table against Chris and Peter.

So they detangled, Damon's hands settling on her hips once more. He leaned down, slanting his lips over hers, and she hummed, hands framing his face. Pressing his forehead to hers, he licked his mouth, and said, "One hour. Then we're going home."

She shivered, bit down on her lip, and nodded.

He gave her hips one last squeeze and then walked toward the guys at the pool table.

Bonnie made her way back to the booth, taking a seat beside a smirking Naomi, and gulped down the last of her beer.

* * *

**…**

* * *

Bonnie was trying to pay attention, but her focus kept wavering, resting almost entirely on Damon's hand on her thigh, warm and heavy. The resident drama association had put together a play to send summer off with a bang, and Bonnie had heard good things, so she'd proposed it for her and Damon's date night. Arriving late, they'd decided to sit at the back, which was unexpectedly convenient, because Damon had been working his hand up the skirt of her dress, slowly but surely.

She shouldn't encourage him, really, but her knees parted, and he was happy to take the invitation, teasing the tips of his fingers along the inside of her thigh. Her breath hitched and she leaned back in her seat.

For the life of her, she couldn't figure out what was happening in the play. She tried to, cleared her throat and focused her eyes ahead on the actors moving around the stage. But then Damon's fingers would press down or start drawing circles and her breath would stutter out of her. He'd been more physical with her lately, taking every possible opportunity to touch her. And she loved it, she did, but it made it all the more obvious what was missing. What she  _wanted_ but wasn't taking.

He slid his hand up to the top of her thigh and down to her knee, his thumb stroking over it gently. She wasn't sure if she wanted to sigh with relief or disappointment, but she did know that something needed to change. A decision needed to be made. No more hesitating.

* * *

**…**

* * *

Damon was in the middle of reading, sprawled out on the couch, when Bonnie laid herself down on top of him. "Hey," he said, putting the book down and raising a curious eyebrow at her.

"Hey." She smiled up at him softly and leaned up to press a kiss to his lips. It started off slow, searching, and then her hands were stroking down his chest and she was nipping at his mouth. Her fingers worked the buttons of his shirt open and her head ducked down, peppering kisses over his skin as she parted his shirt, bit by bit. His fingers stroked her hair back from her face, tucking it behind her ear. She kissed her way down his stomach while her hands worked his belt and jeans open.

Damon knew where it was leading; he didn't need a diagram of her intentions. But his hand still found her shoulder, stilling her. "Are you sure about this?"

She looked up at him, searched his eyes, and then smiled. "Do I ever do anything I'm not sure of?"

His mouth twitched. "No, but—"

Her hand slid down, cupping him over his jeans, and his breath hitched.

"Damon?"

"Yeah," he rasped, pressing himself up against her palm, now gently rubbing against him.

" _Shut up_."

He made a zipping motion over his lips, but it was a lie. Because as soon as her mouth was on him, he forgot how to be quiet. He forgot just about everything besides "fuck" and "Bonnie."

* * *

**…**

* * *

Damon had a certain fondness for the early morning. He would happily spend a weekend sleeping in, wrapped up in Bonnie, but during the rest of his week, he was up much earlier.

Letting Bonnie sleep, he kissed her cheek as she sleepily rolled over and grabbed up his pillow, hugging it to her chest. Walking down the hall, he stopped at the closet to grab Mina's leash and then whistled for her to follow. He grabbed a bottle of water out of the fridge and reached down to scrub his fingers over Mina's ears as she yawned and wagged her tail happily.

They made their way out front and he bent down to attach the leash before he made his way to the sidewalk, stretching as he did. "Ready?" he asked her.

A little more awake, Mina panted up at him excitedly.

They started out at a jog and picked up their pace slowly, making their way down a few blocks before crossing the street.

As a vampire, he hadn't needed to workout, his body stayed in the same pristine state it'd been in when he died. While Stefan tended to use working out as a release when he was frustrated, Damon had always turned to bourbon to ease his mind. But now that he was human, it came with all the troubles of aging and a slowing metabolism. Which was where running came in. It helped that it was also good for Mina, giving him a reason to drag himself out of bed when the sun was barely out. But if he were being honest, it was also a chance for him to think.

Life was going well for him, better than he'd ever expected. He and Bonnie were making progress. He could feel her fears slowly breaking down; her concerns that they wouldn't be able to go back to friendship falling away. They were still friends, they always would be, but that wasn't all they could be.

As a vampire, ideas of settling down had a limitation to them. Sure, he could have an eternity with somebody, but an eternity was a long time. His idea of a future with Katherine hadn't gone much past the initial reunion. If he really looked at their relationship, a lot of it had been sexual. Still, as long as it wasn't used on him, he'd admired her cunning and manipulative nature. Not usually something people found attractive but Damon was a different breed. In her own way, Katherine did everything he'd wanted to do, circumventing society's expectations of the time. Damon had been raised to be a certain kind of person, but no matter what he did, he was never enough for his father. So having Katherine in his life, seeing her power, knowing how easily she was able to manipulate the world to fit what  _she_ wanted, yeah, he'd wanted it too.

It wasn't the same with Elena. Their relationship had a whole different set of problems. He'd loved her, he wouldn't argue that. But even with her, the future had been a dream more than a reality. Being with her came with the constant fear that one day she would finally wise up and turn her back on him, head straight back into Stefan's arms and never look back. So thinking of a set path of where they could go and what they could be, it was all a figment of his imagination. Even when he had her, he could feel time ticking down, waiting to take her away.

So the idea that he could now look at a future, a real future, and it could be everything he wanted… It was a little surreal. In the best possible way.

By the time he and Mina made it home, he was drenched in sweat, his muscles nice and loose. He unlatched Mina and let her into the house, half-smiling as she plopped down in the living room, panting loudly.

Bonnie, with bed-head and her eyes barely open, was standing in the kitchen, mixing a bowl of pancake batter. She smiled up at him sleepily. "Nice run?"

He nodded, and walked toward her, bending to kiss the top of her head. Wrapping an arm around her waist, he rested his chin on her shoulder. "You remember that night on the deck, when you said you loved me?"

Bonnie stopped stirring the batter and turned her head to look at him. "Mm-hmm."

"I do love you." He gave her waist a squeeze. "We didn't really talk about it, but just in case there's any confusion… I'm in love with you."

She reached a hand up, her palm pressed to his cheek. "Do you love me as much as the stars love the sky?" she teased lightly.

He kissed her neck and said, " _More_."

Bonnie's expression softened. "I love you too," she told him seriously.

He nodded. "I know."

"Good." She elbowed his stomach lightly. "Now go shower, you stink."

He chuckled under his breath, popped one last kiss to her cheek, and walked off down the hallway.

* * *

**…**

* * *

Bonnie felt like she was floating. Dinner was nice, but she was happy to be home. Her body had been buzzing for hours. The restaurant had a nice little area designated for dancing and they'd spent entirely too much time rubbing up against each other, leaving her feeling on edge.

She shrugged her shoulders as Damon peeled her jacket down her arms to hang up, and then walked to the fridge to put their leftovers away. Something warm and wanting was making her feel edgy and she was trying to figure out if she wanted to move things to the bedroom or if the couch would be good enough.

As she closed the fridge and dropped her purse on the island counter, Damon slid up behind her, hands quick to find her hips. He bent down, nuzzling against her shoulder, and kissed her neck, nipping gently at her skin. Her head met his chest as she let her eyes fall half-closed and bit her lip.

Damon's hands moved slowly down her hips, gathering up the black lace fabric of her dress, and she felt her heart speed up in anticipation. He kissed down the slope of her shoulder as his fingers teased overtop her thighs. Years ago, she remembered thinking he had such  _soft_ hands, untouched by manual labour of any kind, fixed and healed by his vampire abilities so that a callus would never blemish them. That wasn't the case now. She'd picked slivers from his fingers, seen the calluses grow over time, watched as hands that had grown all too familiar with glasses of bourbon instead found a home on hammers and wrenches. And now they were becoming just as acquainted with her body.

He turned her around, head still bowed, and scraped his teeth over her collar bones. She sucked in a sharp breath, her hands reaching for his shoulders and yanking his leather jacket back and down his arms. He let go of her just long enough to toss his jacket away and then his hands were sliding up her legs again, thumbs rubbing over her hips. He hummed as he kissed down her chest, sucking and nipping lightly at the tops of her breasts. He gave the fabric of her dress a tug and his chin slid lower, rubbing against her nipple before it was wrapped in his lips, tongue stroking and curling around it.

Bonnie's head fell back, her fingers quickly tangling in his hair. He peeled the front of her dress down a little lower and fit his hand around the curve of her breast, cupping it as he focused his teeth and tongue and lips on her. Letting out a cracked whimper, she bit down on her lip and reached for his shirt, tugging at the bottom. She wanted it off. She wanted to touch him, to do exactly what he was doing to her in return.

But he shook his head, pressing one last kiss to her nipple, and then he stood and pecked at her mouth. "This is about you."

She didn't get a chance to ask what 'this' was before he was dropping down to his knees. Her breath caught as she stared down at him, her brows hiked. Jeremy didn't do this. Not often anyway. He had, in the past, but it wasn't something he regularly fit into their foreplay. If she'd had one complaint about her time with Jeremy, it was that. Any thoughts of her ex quickly fled her mind, however, as Damon slid the skirt of her dress up, his mouth following his hands as he kissed his way across her thighs.

Bonnie skimmed her hands through his hair, soft and loose, and he looked up at her, his eyes dark with heat. She shivered, and the edges of his mouth curved up in a smirk.

Dress around her waist, he leaned forward, pressing a kiss to the front of her quickly dampening underwear. And then arched an eyebrow. "Did you color-coordinate these with your boots?" he wondered, giving the waist a tug with his finger.

" _Damon_."

"Hey, it's fine. It's cute." He chuckled lowly under his breath as he reached for the edges and started sliding them down her hips.

"Oh my God," she muttered under her breath, her face flushed.

"Ah, ah, ah, not yet, you'll want to save the praying for when I  _really_ get started." As she stepped out of her underwear, he asked, "Shoes on or off?"

She considered the option, but then he hung her leg over his shoulder and kissed her inner thigh. "I like the idea of your heel digging into my back. Sue me."

She snorted, but just as she opened her mouth to argue, his lips were sliding over her skin again and, God, that felt good. That felt…  _amazing_ , actually.

Back when Elena used to praise Damon's skill in the bedroom, Bonnie had mostly tuned her out, nose wrinkled and distaste crawling up the back of her throat. But now, with his fingers gently drawing over her thighs, both teasing and soothing, and his mouth getting closer and closer to her, what she felt was far from disgust.

She could feel the faint bite of stubble from his cheeks against her thigh, and it made her toes curl, her hands gripping the counter behind her. The warmth of his breath hit her first, and the anticipation made a wave of heat flush through her, followed by a flash of want as soon as his tongue flicked against her. The noise that escaped her throat was  _desperate_ ; a keening note that ended abruptly as he leaned in, shoulders spreading her legs further apart. And then he was  _on_ her, his hands curling up around her thighs, fingers pressed down as his tongue stroked, licking and teasing her open.

Bonnie felt impatient; she wanted that high, she wanted to fall apart as soon as she felt tiny ribbons of pleasure. But Damon, for once in his life, chose not to be impulsive, but instead to take his time. He kissed all around her pussy, sucking and stroking at his leisure, teeth scraping gently. Every time his tongue dabbed at her clit, her leg shook atop his shoulder. He wanted her on the edge, he let her get right up to it, her hips rocking against him, his name a cracked litany on her lips. But just as soon as she was ready to come, he turned his head, kissing down her thigh. Three times he brought her there and Bonnie was nearly in tears. Panting, her fingers hurt from holding the counter so tightly.

But then he rubbed his knuckles up her thigh, smoothing his rough palm over her skin, and instead of just teasing, he dragged his fingers down her slit, rubbing them in circles before finally working one up inside her, pumping it slowly. She twisted her hips, licked her lips, and followed the rotation and curl of his finger like a cat with a string.

Damon took one of her hands from the counter, his thumb rubbing over her knuckles, and then he pressed it flat against her stomach and slid it up. It felt good, the fabric of her dress moving over her skin. He brought it right up to her breast and she took the cue for what it was. Her thumb rubbed circles around her nipple, palm gently squeezing and kneading her breast. His tongue stroked over her clit approvingly and her breath left her on an abrupt sigh.

She tipped her chin down and watched him watching her, his bright blue eyes fringed with long, dark lashes. His mouth shone with her, lips flushed. He slid a second finger inside her, his pace a little quicker, and one corner of his mouth kicked up. "You know how good you taste?"

She shook her head, fingers plucking at her nipple as she stared down at him. His fingers walked down the top of the leg dressing his shoulder.

Licking his lips, he told her, "I used to think I missed blood. That feeling I used to get, the rush when it flooded my mouth, the flavor on my tongue. But  _you_ …" His eyes flashed up at her. "You're better than blood." He swallowed tightly and rubbed his nose against her thigh. "I missed this. I missed how good it felt to be right here. But all those memories, everything I  _thought_ I missed, none of it compares to how good it feels  _right now_." He nipped at her skin, humming like he was getting drunk off the experience. "I'm gonna make you come. You're going to fall apart, right here, on my tongue… And then I'm going to take you to our room and I'm going to do it again. I'll  _keep_ doing it until you tell me you can't take anymore."

Bonnie moaned, clenching down on his fingers.

"And when you're ready… whether it's tonight or tomorrow or days or weeks before we get there… When you're ready, I'm going to fuck you. Until your legs can't hold you up anymore and the only word you can say is my name."

Her breath was so rapid, so rushed, that she felt dizzy with it.

"And when you're sleepy and soft, smiling up like you do in the mornings, when you've just woken up and you think I'm a dream… Then I'll make love to you. I'll take my time, kiss every inch of you, work you up one last time before you're so exhausted you want to sleep for  _days_."

He kissed up her thigh and nuzzled against her pussy, flicking his tongue over her, chuckling as she squeezed around his fingers.

"When I'm done with you, no one else will ever compare."

She wanted to tell him they already didn't. That she didn't  _want_ anyone else. But then he had his lips around her clit and he was curling his fingers down, rubbing against her g-spot. Black spots covered her vision and her mouth fell open in a silent shout. His teeth and tongue worked her clit as his fingers tipped her over that elusive edge, and Bonnie just barely caught herself, her knee giving out, leaving only her leg on his shoulder and her hand on the counter to keep her up.

She could swear she was floating; that rippling, consuming feeling of an orgasm was rushing through her, warm and weightless. Air was suddenly sucked into her lungs, making her chest heave, while the rest of her was trying to make sense of her body, to find where her toes and her fingers were, as if she were just one small mass of nerve endings that never stopped firing.

Damon moved her leg down, her knees still shaky, and when she finally opened her eyes, he was standing in front of her, a self-satisfied smile tipping his shiny lips. She reached for him, arm around his neck, and leaned up to kiss him. His hands slid down her back and cupped the backs of her thighs, hauling he up until her legs wrapped around his waist. He kept kissing her, their mouths slanting together, as he turned, leaving the kitchen and walking them down the hall to their bedroom.

He dropped her onto the edge of their bed and pulled her dress up and off her, tossing it in the general direction of the laundry basket before he was kissing her again, leaning her back on the bed and crawling up between her legs.

He didn't take off her shoes, and she didn't reach for them. Instead, as he kissed down her body once more, she knew they'd be doing plenty of work, digging into his back as he brought her off, again and again.

* * *

**…**

* * *

"I haven't had McDonald's in  _ages_ ," Bonnie said, groaning happily as she bit into her Big Mac.

Carla laughed, shaking her head. "I can only eat it every once in a while. I worked at one as a teenager and, trust me, when you're around it that much, it gets hard to enjoy."

"I bet." Bonnie wiped at her mouth with a napkin before balling it up. "Was that your first job?"

"If you don't include taking care of all my cousins, nieces, and nephews, then yeah." She nodded. "What about you?"

Bonnie frowned. "I did some life guarding in high school. But other than that…" She shook her head. "My shop, really. I went into college right after high school and then… Yeah, opened my shop."

"Lucky," Carla said. "No fast food."

Bonnie laughed. "Yeah, that's why I still get to enjoy it."

Curious, she wondered, "What made you want to open the shop anyway? Were you always into that kind of stuff?"

"Uh, my Grams was… She really loved nature. She thought it provided everything we needed if we knew what we were looking for." Smiling softly, she said, "It reminds me of her, when I'm making the candles. She would've loved the shop."

Carla reached across to squeeze her hand comfortingly.

Bonnie smiled at her, feeling a little emotional. "Anyway! We came out to talk about your wedding. You've only got a couple weeks left. Don't tell me you're getting cold feet…"

"Both feet are still firmly warm," she reassured. "I just wanted to go over the details with you again. I know I'm being neurotic, but—"

"It's fine. I mean, there's not a whole lot we can change with so little time, but I know you just want everything to go perfectly. So? Tell me what you're worrying about. We'll see what we can do."

Carla took a deep breath.

Bonnie scooped up a few fries and dabbed them in ketchup as she listened, nodding along.

* * *

**…**

* * *

" _I crave your mouth, your voice, your hair._  
Silent and starving, I prowl through the streets.  
Bread does not nourish me, dawn disrupts me, all day  
I hunt for the liquid measure of your steps.

_I hunger for your sleek laugh,_  
_your hands the color of a savage harvest,_  
_hunger for the pale stones of your fingernails,_  
_I want to eat your skin like a whole almond._

_I want to eat the sunbeam flaring in your lovely body,_  
_the sovereign nose of your arrogant face,_  
_I want to eat the fleeting shade of your lashes,_

_and I pace around hungry, sniffing the twilight,_  
_hunting for you, for your hot heart,_  
_like a puma in the barrens of Quitratue_."

If one were to ask Damon, he would say it was always leading here. It was inevitable. Even before. Back when they were alive, there was no denying there was chemistry, buried beneath an unhealthy amount of disdain for one another. Damon had loved Elena, don't get him wrong. He'd loved her deeply and completely, so much so that he could feel her in his bone marrow. But that was who he was. When he loved, he loved with all of himself, to a degree that could be frightening, consuming, and altogether desperate. But there was still something there, festering between him and Bonnie, just  _waiting_ for the opportune time.

Maybe it was the belief that he would never be alive again that changed things. Maybe it was the complete and total acceptance of his new life. Maybe it was the time away from Elena and the life they all lived; the danger they were surrounded by; the non-stop dramatics of it all; that gave him clarity. All he knew was that at some point along the way, he went from  _in-love_ with Elena to  _loving_ Elena. She was a complicated part of his history, not one that he would change or erase, but one that had been difficult and not always fair, to either of them or Stefan. And he hoped, he sincerely hoped, that she moved on and she found love again and that whoever it was, be it his brother or someone else, that they loved her as much as, if not more, than he had. He wanted that for her.

He couldn't say for sure when he fell in love with Bonnie. Sometimes he thought it had always been building, just under the surface, from the moment he met that judgy, self-righteous, know-it-all of a witch. Other times, he thought it was a slow-burn; that it didn't really kick into effect until after they'd had a chance to get to know each other. Until after he stopped looking at her solely as a means to an end and realized that she was a person, someone who actually kind of mattered in his life. And then, when they'd ended up skipping out on death and obliteration and appeared instead in their own version of Pleasantville, things finally had a chance to really grow.

It was hard not to fall in love with her. Having her right there, every day, watching her smile and laugh and knowing he was part of the reason why. Cooking for her; looking forward to the end of work so he could pick her up and bring her home. Falling asleep with her there, just within reach, waking up in the morning to find them tangled together, her hand still on his chest or her face buried against him.

Bonnie was beautiful, without a doubt, but she was also kind and smart and so damn stubborn. When she got angry, her whole body vibrated with it, and when she was happy, she lit up with it. And she cared. She really cared. About the people that worked for her and her friends and complete strangers she didn't know from anything. And for him.

The night they took that final step, they were sitting on the couch together, his hands absently stroking along her calf and ankle. He'd just finished Pablo Neruda's Love Sonnet XI when she asked him, "Have you thought about it? I know you're always telling me not to worry. But have you ever actually  _thought_ about whether you could really go back to how it was before? To just  _friendship_ , I mean."

Damon closed the book and tossed it toward the coffee table. "We're always going to be friends, Bonnie." He turned to her. "You're still my best friend. You always will be. But do I think we can just pretend this,  _us_ , never happened…?  _No_." He stared at her searchingly. "And I don't want to."

She swallowed tightly, worrying her lip with her teeth. "I just don't want us to regret it. I don't want us to look back and wish we hadn't changed things."

"I regret a lot of things in my life. I couldn't even  _begin_ to list them. People I've killed, people I've kissed, relationships that never should have happened, revenge schemes that worked out and some that didn't. There are people I regret letting  _live_. So trust me, if anyone has the market cornered on regret, it's me." He stared at her seriously. "But whatever happens here, with us… I could never regret you."

She raised her eyes to meet his then and took a deep breath. "I think some part of me is still stuck back there… in Mystic Falls. Where it seemed like no matter what I did or how hard I tried, nothing ever went the way I wanted it to. And this, you and me, it's all been so…  _right_. That I just keep waiting for something to happen or someone to tell me that it's not real. And that  _scares_ me, because I want this. I want it more than anything. I just don't want to  _lose_ it after."

"I can make promises that you're never going to lose me, but we both know that I can't guarantee something won't happen. I can't promise that the ground won't open tomorrow and Lucifer himself will drag my sorry ass down to hell. Just like I can't promise that something won't go wrong at work and you'll get a call from Bill that I fell off a ladder somewhere and broke my neck. Life isn't set in stone. We've both learned that the hard way. But I know that I'll do everything I can to stay with you. Because this isn't just on you, Bonnie. You're not the only one invested here. I  _want_ this. I want  _you_."

Licking her lips, she took a deep breath, and then murmured, " _Okay_."

He peered at her thoughtfully, sprawled out on the couch, head perched on a pillow, legs in his lap. And then he nodded, just once, and he turned, moving up the couch on his knees, an arm braced on the back. One of his hands dragged up the length of her leg, slow and teasing, testing the waters. He watched her face for any sign of hesitation or uncertainty. When all she did was stare back at him, he took it as a good sign.

He leaned down, bracing his hand on the cushion beside her head, and he let his nose drag down the length of hers, his breath skittering over her mouth. "You want me to stop…?" he asked, staring into her eyes searchingly. "Because I will."

"No," she breathed out, tilting her chin up.

He turned his head, his cheek rubbing against hers as he whispered, "Be sure."

"I am." She reached up for him, her hands balling up his shirt into her palms. "I don't want to wait anymore."

He closed his eyes for a moment and let out a shaky breath. "I've done a lot of impulsive things in my life, Bonnie… This is the one good thing I have, and I'll spend my whole undead life earning it."

"Then do it," she told him, turning her head a little, her lips brushing the very corner of his mouth.

When his lips met hers, relief wasn't far behind. This was home. This was heat and passion and comfort, all wrapped up in one. Her lips were soft and full and they parted and sucked and met his, slant for slant. She tasted like fire, a flickering flame that licked over his skin with all the tenacity of a time bomb going off in his face. It spread across his face and down his neck, like a prickling awareness, trickling down his spine and spreading through his arms and legs, right down to his toes. It twisted up in his chest, a spitting, snarling heat that coiled around every vital organ, sunk into his blood, and imprinted itself inside him.

Her hands loosened from his shirt and slid up his chest, wrapping around his neck and burying in his hair. He settled into the cradle of her thighs, one of her legs reaching up and curling around his waist, pulling him in close, until the front of him was pressed down flat against her. They rocked together, mouths fused tightly. Caught up in the storm of each other, of a loss of limitation. She said his name with the kind of reverent approval he'd always wanted to hear, her nails scraping down his neck and gripping his shoulders.

It was frenzied, the way they moved together, arms and legs and bodies all tangled with each other. They went from laying down to kneeling, pulling at each other's shirts, stripping them off and tossing them away. His hands moved over her skin, sliding up her sides and across her back, pulling her in until they were skin to skin, stomach to stomach. He snapped open the back of her bra and pulled it down her arms, tugging the fabric out of the way. She leaned back for him, his arm braced around her waist, and he ducked down to trail wet kisses down her exposed chest, wrapping his lips around a dark, pebbled nipple and sucking, his teeth scraping over her skin and digging in just enough to earn a strangled noise from her throat. She tugged on his hair and arched up into the embrace of his mouth.

"Take it easy, those don't grow back," she muttered.

And he laughed, laving at her nipple with his tongue, popping a dramatic kiss to it. "Better?"

Her mouth twitched. "You should do it again, just to be sure."

He smirked, sliding a hand up and cupping her breast, kneading it as he soothingly lapped and kissed her nipple, flicking his tongue and keeping an eye on her face as she bit her lip and watched him. He kissed his way to her other breast, pausing to suck at the valley between them, scraping his teeth over a love bite, before he continued on, sucking her nipple between his lips, while his thumb circled and plucked at the other.

His free hand slid down her back, hooking on the back of her jean shorts, just under the small of her back. He gave them a tug and reached around the front to undo the button and lower the zipper. The fabric was tight enough that the only way to get where he wanted, he needed to remove them. Bonnie wiggled her hips to help before finally dropping her hands and shoving her shorts down her hips to ring around her thighs.

Damon's hand slid down, cupping her through her panties, his fingers pressed up tight, feeling the damp fabric and rubbing against it. He grinned as she rocked against his hand, her breath hitching. Her thighs parted a little more, inviting him in, and he curled his fingers around her underwear, pulling them to the slide, and reached through to trace a line over her slit.

"Damon," she murmured encouragingly.

"You wet for me, Bonnie? Hm?" She nodded faintly, staring down at him, her eyes widened a little as his fingers ran over her clit briefly, teasing open her pussy. "Can't wait to taste you again, little bird… Could feast on you, day and night, and never get full." He dragged his chin up her chest and kissed her neck, licking a strip over her pulse, and then his mouth was on hers again, sucking at her lips, tugging on them with his teeth.

Her mouth parted abruptly on a gasp as one of his fingers slid up inside her, curling and thrusting shallowly. She hugged an arm around his shoulders, holding on tightly. He could feel her thighs shaking, hear her breath as it shuddered in and out of her.

"What do you want, hm?" He nuzzled her nose, kissing her cheek and the hinge of her jaw and back, behind her ear. "Tell me what you want," he whispered.

Her eyes were squeezed shut, her chest heaving a little. "Damon."

"Good answer, but a little elaboration would help." He nipped at her neck and rested his cheek against her shoulder, staring up at her. "Where do you want me, huh? I can finger you until you scream, make you come so hard you see stars. Or I can take you to bed, eat you out 'til you're good and ready. And just when you think you can't come again, I'll be inside you, making sure you can't remember your name, or my name, or anything but how to scream for me." His thumb brushed lightly against her clit, making her jump and swallow. "So what'll it be, Bon-Bon?"

She tugged on his hair, making him raise his head, and she looked up at him, serious and stubborn, as she said, "If anybody's going to scream anybody's name, you'll be screaming mine." She raised an eyebrow then. "Take me to bed."

It would be an understatement to say he wasn't happy with her decision.

He also very much wished he still had his vampire speed, if only to get them there faster.

Still, sweeping Bonnie up into his arms and gallantly, if dramatically, carrying her down the hall to their room was more than good enough. She stripped her shorts and underwear off before pushing back up to her knees, crooking her finger and inviting him closer.

When he reached the side of the bed, she reached down, undoing his jeans and pushing them down and out of the way. "You know, you made a lot of promises… I can't say I've been disappointed so far, but it's been almost six years, you might be out of practice. Sure you're up to the challenge?" she teased.

He reached for her, hooking his hands behind her thighs. As she fell back to the bed, he covered her, drawing her knees up as he laid in the cradle of her legs. "You tell me," he murmured, before ducking his head down to kiss across her shoulders, slow and smooth, taking his time.

He planned to do just that for as long as possible; taste every inch of her skin, lick her into an orgasm, memorize her body with his hands and his mouth. So he did. He started with her shoulders and he moved down, inch by inch, her arms, her chest, her sides, her hips, legs, knees, ankles, and each one of her impossibly tiny toes. He turned her over just to do it all again, from her ankles to the nape of her neck, and by the time he was done, she was breathless, a relaxed little puddle of humming frustration, laying on her back once more, watching him.

His fingers flirted with the swell of her breast as he peppered kisses from one side of her neck to the other, like an invisible necklace. He dragged his lips up until he was hovering over her mouth once more. Her arms were out as she lay sprawled beneath him, staring up at him with eyes, heavy with want, her lips bruised and puffy from her teeth chewing away at them.

"You missed a spot," she told him.

"Did I?" He raised an eyebrow, pressed a kiss to her chin, and then slid down her body, leaving quick, punctuating kisses along her torso, as he said, "Was this spot particularly desperate for attention?"

"Something like that."

"Was it feeling a little left out?" His hands slid up and down the backs of her thighs as she spread her legs a little father.

He nuzzled his face against her stomach, his hot breath beating against her skin before he slid a little lower.

"Yes," she breathed. "Very left out."

"That's not good. Wouldn't want to exclude anyone." He turned his head to press a sucking kiss along her thigh, nipping at her skin before he dragged his mouth down lower. He could smell her, warm and heady. He could happily drown in her. As he dropped his mouth down to the top of her mound, she reached for him, her hands digging into her own legs, nails leaving behind crescent moons. He took one of her hands and dropped it on his head, feeling her fingers stretch out and curl around his hair. Her other hand fell flat against her stomach, fingers spread out.

He gave her slit a long, lingering lick, grinning as she gave his hair a tug. He pressed a kiss to her clit and then focused his tongue on tasting every inch of her pussy. Bonnie pressed up to his mouth, pulling on his hair, the noises coming from the back of her throat positively desperate for more, more, more.

Damon prided himself on always making sure his partner was more than satisfied, but Bonnie was a special case. Maybe it was his way of proving that he was worth it; that  _they_  were worth taking that chance on; that he could be what she needed in every way. So he pulled out every trick he knew, between mouth and hands, and he made sure that when she came, and she did, multiple times, she didn't have a chance to second guess or regret or wonder. And she was beautiful. Truly, devastatingly,  _gorgeous_ as she moved around for him, dancing on his fingers, curled up inside her, wet with a sheen of sweat, flushed with arousal and satisfaction.

When he crawled up her body, limp and content, he kissed her damp skin, licking at the salty sweat beading on her. He pressed a kiss to each pebbled nipple, and he sucked on the fluttering pulse at her neck, before finally, they were face to face again. She reached up for him, her hands framing his face, thumbs tracing the arch of his cheeks. "Not bad," she told him, smiling blissfully.

"Gold star?"

"Platinum," she answered, tilting her chin up. Her hands swept down, gliding over his shoulders, squeezing before they ran down his arms, kneading his biceps. "Could be hard to follow, actually."

"Don't count me out just yet. I have a few tricks left."

"Of the 'forget my own name' variety?"

He tapped her nose. "Now you're catching on."

She grinned. "I seem to remember making a similar promise." Before he could reply, she turned him over onto his back, perching herself back on his thighs, her hands pressed to his stomach. "Stay here."

"Stay...?" He frowned. "What?"

Bonnie climbed off of him and made her way toward her dresser drawer, digging inside and coming up with a strip of condoms. "I don't know how this world works, but having some kind of weird ghost baby is not high on my list. So, just to be sure…" She made her way back to him and crawled on the bed, taking one off the strip and tossing the others to the side. Taking a seat on his legs once more, she bent forward, tucking her hair behind her ears.

Damon watched her as her tongue reached out, dabbing at the crown of his cock, and then she was licking a strip down the side of it and coming back up, flicking her tongue over the slit. A breath hissed out from between his teeth as she wrapped her mouth around the head of him, sucking lightly, her tongue swirling, before she sunk down a little more, taking him deeper into her mouth.

"Fuck," he muttered under his breath, desperately keeping his eyes open, just to watch her take him. She removed her mouth and leaned down, licking down the length of him before she wrapped her hand around his shaft and returned her mouth to the head. After spending so much time going down on her, he was already worked up. Between her hand and mouth, she was taking him to the edge a lot quicker than he wanted. His hand tangled in her hair, but he didn't pull or push her, he just held on, his fingers squeezing. It felt good. It felt  _amazing_ , but if she kept it up, he was going to come early.

"Bon— Bonnie," he choked out.

She slowly down, slowly removing her mouth from him, taking her time and teasing him as she went, and then she was sitting back, taking up the condom once more, opening it this time. She rolled it down his cock easily before she was crawling up him, dipping down to kiss him. He hugged her close, happy to linger at her mouth.

She rubbed a hand over his chest and up his neck, her thumb stroking across his cheek. "Ready?"

"Shouldn't I be asking you that?"

She smiled at him and shook her head.

He buried a hand in her hair, curled around the nape of her neck, and brought her down for another kiss.

He turned them over then, kissing down her chin and reached for one of her thighs, hitching it up around his hip. His breath caught as he sunk inside her, his forehead pressed to her shoulder. "Fuck," he bit out.

Bonnie made a noise and dug her fingers into his back. She raised her knees up and invited him deeper, her breath quickening. He could feel her heart pounding in her chest. Pressing his hand down against the bed, he pushed himself up and slanted his lips over hers, rocking his hips forward and burying himself to the hilt.

She hummed against his mouth, kneading at his shoulders. "Go slow, just let me… get used to… Oh God…"

He waited for her to give him the go-ahead, with her moving and squeezing, getting comfortable before she finally gave him a nod.

After that, they found their rhythm easily, starting out slow, getting used to the natural way they fit together. He buried his face against her neck, distinctly aware of everything about her. How soft she was, her skin damp, her lips kissed raw. The noises she was making spurred him forward, chasing after that elusive edge, pace picking up as they hit their stride. Bonnie wasn't content to be on the bottom for long, so as soon as her impatience reared up, she turned them over. Pushing her hair back over her shoulder, she sat perched in his lap, one of her hands on his stomach to keep herself steady as she rode him. A naturally passionate person, this was no different. Bonnie was in her prime, her whole body moving, like she was dancing; like sex was a song she loved.

He could feel it as she was hitting her crescendo; his hands found her thighs, fingers pressed down hard. She ground down against him as she came, her nails biting at his stomach. She was beautiful; sweaty and flushed, her face twisted up with pleasure.

She stayed there a long moment, head head thrown back and a content hum leaving her lips. She was still clenching around him when he sat up, catching her around the waist before she toppled. She readjusted her legs so they were stretched past him, her arms circling his shoulders. She leaned forward, forehead pressed to his as she tried to catch her breath.

He caught her chin between his thumb and forefinger and pressed a kiss to her lips. "Hey." He brushed her hair back from her face and caught her eyes. "Still remember your name?"

She laughed lightly. "It's getting fuzzy."

He grinned. "I have that effect."

Shaking her head at him, she stroked her fingers over his back, and kissed him. Bonnie had the kind of mouth he could forget himself in. All plush lips and teasing tongue.

They stayed like that for a while, just kissing and rubbing against each other, until that heat built up for her again. Holding her steady, he rotated his hips, shifting himself up, sinking inside her. Her mouth parted on a noise as she gripped his shoulders and moved to meet him. Damon buried his face at her neck, pressing sucking kisses down the slope. They moved together, rocking, chest to chest. His hand slid up her back to settle at the nape of her neck. She was soft and delicate, small and fiery. Her nails scraped down his back and her teeth bit down on his shoulder.

Damon could count on three fingers how many women he'd made love to. Sex had never been an issue. He'd slept with more than his fair share. But there were only three women in his life that he'd really and truly loved. And here, now, was an experience well worth the 180 years of misery, pain, and misguided obsession. Because here, wrapped around Bonnie, he knew that this was it. The insecurity of before, the fear that she might change her mind about him, fell away completely.

He was going to love this woman, he was going to be by her side, for as long as the afterlife let him. It wasn't an obsession based in dream and fantasy. It was real. It was the home they'd build together, the friends they'd made, the mornings when he woke up happy, just because she was there. It was every moment they'd shared, big and small, that had led them to this. Led them to the healthiest relationship he'd ever had in his long life.

They moved quicker, his hands on her hips, bringing her down faster as he pushed up to meet her. She wrapped an arm around his neck and held on as she came, her head falling back and her eyes squeezed shut. He followed right after her, moaning her name against her neck. His heart was slamming hard inside his chest, his lungs squeezing as he panted. He could feel her relaxing, slumping down, boneless. He rubbed his hands up her back soothingly, pressing little kisses to her shoulder.

She hummed contently before pressing a kiss of her own to his ear and his cheek and the corner of his mouth.

He gathered up his strength and moved her back on the bed so he could stand and toss the condom, his knees shaking beneath him.

When he sat back down on the bed, she slid up behind him, arms around his chest, and he covered her wrist with one hand. She nuzzled against his cheek. "I don't know about you, but I'm hungry, and we have cold pizza in the fridge…"

He chuckled lowly. "Bring me a slice?"

"Mm-hmm." She popped a kiss to his cheek before she slid off the bed and walked, confidently naked, out of the room and down the hall.

As Damon slid back on the bed, head resting on the pillow, he smiled.

Life felt pretty damn perfect.

* * *

**…**

* * *

She was beautiful.

Oh, Carla was too, being the bride and all, but that wasn't who Damon was looking at.

Bonnie was absolutely stunning in her purple bridesmaid dress, her hair falling in curls around her shoulder. Briefly, she reminded him of when he'd first met her, young and innocent, sweet beyond sugar, and entirely unaffected by him. Not the case now; not the last part, anyway.

She turned, smiling at him over Chris' shoulder as she danced with him, letting him lead her around the dance floor.

The wedding had been a hit; no flubbed lines, no lost rings, and no last minute cold feet. Danny and Carla were completely mesmerized with each other, ignoring the party going on around them and instead sharing one chair, bride in the groom's lap, and gazing schmoopily at each other.

Predictably, Bonnie had gotten choked up during the ceremony, swiping at tears as Danny and Carla exchanged vows. Sometimes Damon wondered how it was he wound up with someone so sincerely caring. He'd never really considered himself an emotional person; his brother would say different. Stefan could wax poetic about all the volatile emotions Damon bottled up until they got to be too much. He probably wasn't wrong. But Damon had always thought he was better at hiding them, at putting on the careless affect he'd perfected over time. Not caring meant not being hurt, and he'd gotten real tired of being hurt.

It was different now.

 _He_ was different now.

Damon crossed the room, twisting around to face Naomi as he passed her. "You owe me a dance later."

"Mmhmm. We both know your dance card's about to be full."

He winked at her, before turning on his heel and heading in the direction of Bonnie, who had her head thrown back as she laughed.

A chuckling Chris nodded his head at Damon in greeting before he twirled Bonnie toward him.

Catching her around the waist, he stared down at her as their chests met and she momentarily lost her breath, staring up at him.

"Dance?" he asked as he took her hand up into his.

Bonnie reached her arm up and slid her hand across his shoulder, tucking it at the nape of his neck. "Have I mentioned how handsome you look in this suit?"

He wiggled his eyebrows. "Utterly  _dashing_ , I know. It's a curse."

Smiling, she shook her head. As they swayed around in a small circle, she told him, "The ceremony was beautiful."

"Yeah. I guess all of Carla's planning paid off." He cast his eyes around the church, white lace and colorful flowers dressing everything. "I don't know if I'd go all out like this if it were me."

"No?"

"Mm-mm." He gave her a little twist and pulled her in so her back was to his front, his arms around her. Head bowed so his mouth brushed her ear, he said, "I'd keep it simple. Backyard wedding, night time, those paper lamps you love, just a few close people… Easy."

Bonnie bit her lip and tipped her head back, eyeing him thoughtfully. "I bet you'd tie the ring pillow to Mina's back."

He laughed lightly, grinning. "She'd be the  _perfect_ ring bearer."

Humming, she nodded, and covered his hands over her waist. "She would."

Nuzzling her ear, he kissed her temple. "One day."

As her eyes fell closed, he watched her, mouth turned up at the corner.

She was beautiful. And she was his.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, I know, I suck, I didn't add this early at all. In my defense, as I was editing, I realized this needed a lot more scenes after I cut a bunch of others. On the bright side, it's my birthday, so consider it a gift, haha.
> 
> Also, someone asked about the dating, and having the year put back on, it will be next chapter, it just got a little tedious putting the exact amount of time between each moment because it was happening over a period of a few months. So next chapter will pick up at 6 years!
> 
> Finally, after re-reading this entirely too many times, and rewriting so many different scenes, I'm a little sick of reading it, lol. Plus I haven't slept yet, so my eyes are blurry, but I really wanted to get it done and posted. I'm sure there are a ton of mistakes, so if you spot one, please let me know, and I'll fix it!
> 
> Thank you all for reading! Please try to leave a review; they're my lifeblood!
> 
> \- **Lee | Fina**


	11. always

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **faceclaim** : [C A S T](http://www.sarcasticfina.tumblr.com/eternity)

**XI**.

* * *

**SIX YEARS**

* * *

The growl of the engine had a calming effect, settling deep inside of him and triggering a feeling of contentment. Some nights, Damon just needed to get away, not from anyone or anything in particular, he just needed some space, some peace and quiet. So he drove, with no specific destination in mind, just smooth road ahead of him and the steady hum of the car beneath him.

And some nights, when he was feeling particularly nostalgic, he talked. No radio, no voice to respond, just his voice filling the car, anticipating the reaction he would get, though he knew he'd never see it again. Sometimes he just needed to talk to Stefan. Since there was no marker here for him to drunkenly sit at, he chose to drive. He filled him in on his life; the good, the bad, the average.

"Work's going well. Bob's been talking to me about becoming foreman…" He grimaced. "Don't know if I want that. Pay's better. But all the responsibility? You know how much I like skirting  _that_... But, we'll see. If I don't take it, I think I'll recommend Danny for it. He'll probably need the extra cash. Him and Carla are gonna start popping out little ghost babies any day now… Whattya think? Godfather sound like something you can see me being? Yeah, me neither. But Danny seems to think I'd be an all right substitute if he ever kicked the bucket. I mean, he probably already  _has_  and just doesn't know it. The logistics of everything over here are a little weird."

He sighed, shaking his head. "All I know for sure is that Gladys  _definitely_ should've been pushing up daisies by now, but there she is, every day, glaring at us through the curtain with her shifty eyes... You know, if I were still a vampire, I think I'd take her out first. She'd probably taste bitter, like mothballs, but I'd take one for the team. Bon-Bon says it doesn't bother her, but I think she's just putting on a strong front."

His mouth pulled up at the corner. "Speaking of… Bonnie and I finally took the plunge. Not marriage, not yet, but she finally stopped holding back, no more 'going slow' just in case we crash and burn… And it's good. It's really good. If I were alive, I'd be waiting for something to show up and ruin it, but…  _I'm not_. So I guess the only one who can ruin it is us and, hell, cross your fingers I don't do that, all right? I probably need all the luck I can get…"

He snorted, drumming his hands on the steering wheel as he turned down another road. "I worry about that sometimes… You know what I'm like. You were always telling me that I was my worst enemy. That I looked for ways to make thing worse for myself. But… this feels different. Bonnie thinks I'm growing up,  _maturing_ , and sure, maybe, but, I don't know. I don't know what it means. I just know I like it. And I'm gonna hold onto it, for as long as she'll let me…"

Half-smiling then, he took a deep breath and let it out on a sigh. "Thanks for listening, brother."

He hit his turning signal then, and started back for home, feeling a little lighter.

* * *

**…**

* * *

Bonnie laughed as Damon lingered at her mouth, his hands on her hips, pulling her along with him as he walked backwards toward the door.

She smiled, mumbling against his lips, "You're going to have to stop sometime."

"In a second." He slid his hands up the back of her shirt, palms sweeping over her skin.

She hummed, arching up into him.

"Keep doing that and I won't stop."

Framing his face in her hands, she held him steady as she pulled back. "You started it."

"Right, so you should finish it." He skittered his fingers over her, grinning as she squirmed.

A horn honked outside, demanding attention, and Damon sighed. "All right. No more distracting me. I have work. And I'm a  _professional_."

"Uh-huh…" She combed her fingers through his hair and leaned up for one last kiss before dropping back to her heels. "You got your lunch?"

He nodded his chin toward where his lunchbox sat on the floor by the door.

"And you're bringing your extra jacket, right? It's getting colder out. Make sure you have your gloves too."

"Have I mentioned I like the worried girlfriend thing? Very cute." He kissed the tip of her nose before he reached behind him, grabbing up his thicker work jacket. Bonnie lifted his lunch box, holding it out for him. "See you tonight."

With one last kiss, he was out the door, and Bonnie was left feeling that warm, fuzzy feeling still simmering away inside her chest. Biting her lip to curb her smile, she walked back to where her coffee had been left on the counter, cooler than she'd like, but not enough to sour her mood any.

She knew they were still in a bit of a honeymoon stage, making the most of their new found intimacy, and she was going to milk it for all it was worth. If that meant waking up an hour earlier than usual because Damon had decided to bury his head between her thighs then so be it. There would be no complaints from her.

Emptying out her cold coffee, she poured herself a new mug, grabbed a quilt, and made her way out back to the deck, curling up on one of the chairs and letting the morning settle in. Six years had passed since she'd woken up in this world, and it still amazed her some days just how  _content_ she was. How good it felt not to fear for her life or wonder what enemy might be lurking around the next corner. Life was good and easy and everything she could ever ask for. She was happy to revel in it.

* * *

**…**

* * *

"So, what do you think?" Sara wondered, waving one last time to a few stragglers as they left the dance studio.

Bonnie stared, a little slack-jawed. "I… I'm surprised. I didn't really… I mean, I'm flattered, I just… I never really thought that was an option, I guess."

"Well, you wouldn't have to start right away. We can work together, figure out a few routines, what kind of schedule you want to work with, but… I'm already starting to show and eventually the extra weight is going to make dancing a little more difficult." She put her hand on Bonnie's shoulder and squeezed. "You're talented, better than me most days, and I can tell you love dancing. You have a passion for it and you've been good about helping the others learn moves. You'll be a great teacher, and I'd be comfortable leaving my group with you."

"Can I think about it?" Bonnie wondered. "It's not that I don't want to do it. I just recently cut down on some of the things in my life though, to make sure I wasn't stressing myself out. Give me a few days to think it over, make sure it's the right thing for me."

"Sure!" Sara nodded happily. "Let me know when you know. Like I said, it doesn't have to happen right away."

"Okay. Thanks, Sara. For thinking of me. And congratulations on the baby."

"You deserve it. And thanks, honey." She grabbed up her sports bag then and walked with Bonnie to the door, waving as they parted ways in the hall.

Smiling to herself, Bonnie made her way toward the parking lot, thinking on the offer in front of her. Taking over Sara's class could take some effort and time, but she'd been doing well, spending some quality time making sure her life was less stressful. She'd taken steps to make sure she would be happy and, so far, she was. Maybe this was a sign that she could have more in her life as long as she kept it balanced. The class didn't have to be work. She loved dancing and it would be fun to design routines and work with the girls on polishing their skill. She would think on it a little more, but she was pretty sure she would do it. Who knew, maybe it would become a regular thing even after Sara came back. She could start her own class, maybe for beginners or kids or something. That could be fun.

* * *

**…**

* * *

"A  _vampumpkin_ …" Bonnie shook her head as she stood behind him, leaning on the chair to watch him carve a sinister vampire face into the pumpkins she picked up for them. "Every year it's the same thing."

"That's how traditions start." He smirked at her over his shoulder. "Besides, I'm not sure you can talk,  _Glinda_."

Rolling her eyes, she turned on her heel and strode toward the pantry cupboard, digging out another bag of Halloween candy. "Hey, don't knock the costume. It was Annette's idea that we dress up as a coven. I vetoed the warts and green face paint, at least."

"Veto powers and everything. You gonna bring along the grimoire for authenticity?"

She shook her head, scooping up the candy bowl. "Nah. It's heavy. Annette went full Harry Potter on it anyway; she's bringing us homemade wands."

He snorted, distracted for a moment as he put the finishing touches on the pumpkin. " _There!_ " He kissed the tips of his fingers, and said, "It's a masterpiece."

Walking over, she took another look at it. "It's very scary," she agreed.

"Yup. Terrify all the little kiddies away, keep the candy for myself." He smirked at her as he stood from the table and grabbed up his pumpkin in one arm. "Fool proof plan, really."

Bonnie grinned, and reached for the door. "You know you're an adult, right? You can buy all the candy you could ever want."

"Sure. But that's different." He shrugged, stepping outside to put the pumpkin out front, by the door. "I don't make the rules, Bon-Bon."

"Uh-huh. Well, tradition says you put a candle in there. I'm sure you can find one somewhere."

"Sure. Hey, you think it's some weird form of cannibalism to put a pumpkin spice candle in it?" he wondered as he walked back inside.

Bonnie laughed to herself.

Before she could answer, there was soon a collection of kids walking up toward their house, gleefully calling out, " _Trick or treat!_ "

* * *

**…**

* * *

"All right, all right…" Damon lifted his beer. "A toast… To the last time we can drink together as buddies before you officially become my boss."

Danny lifted his beer and then raised an eyebrow at him. "Don't think I'll let you slack off either."

With a snort, he said, "Don't think I won't complain about you to our friends."

Laughing, Danny shrugged. "Even trade."

Knocking their beers together, they each took a swig.

As Damon dropped his bottle back down, he knocked his knuckles over the table. "Seriously, though, you deserve this promotion. You're gonna be a great foreman."

Smiling widely, Danny nodded. "Thanks, man."

"You tell Carla yet?"

"Yeah." He grinned. "She baked a cake; she was pretty proud."

"Should be. You worked hard for this." Shaking his head, Damon said, "All right, enough touchy-feely crap. The pool table's free and I might just take it easy on you..."

With an unconvinced snort, Danny stood to follow him. "Don't start now."

Damon smirked back at him over his shoulder. "You got it, boss."

* * *

**…**

* * *

Damon frowned down at the garlic he was chopping to where Bonnie was sitting on the couch, a book in her lap. "You said yes?"

"Sure. What's the big deal? You love dancing," she replied, turning a page.

"Normal dancing. Line dancing is not normal. What, in all our years together, made you think I'd want to don cowboy boots and square dance?"

Her mouth kicked up, amused. "It'll be fun. We can get you a ten gallon hat and boots and one of those giant, novelty belt buckles.  _Come on_ …"

He snorted. "I'm not really the ho-down type, Bon-Bon."

"Damon, I've never seen you turn down a party, this one just happens to be in a barn."

" _What_ barn? There aren't even any farms around here," he argued, waving the knife absently. "And you know what lives in barns?  _Animals_. Stinky, smelly, cow-pie laying  _animals_."

"I'm sure they'll air it out before the party." She rolled her eyes. "Brandon said Chris was going. You guys can hang out and mock everybody if that's what you want to do. But  _I_ am getting dressed up and getting by cowgirl on."

"You were plenty cowgirl enough last night." He waved the knife in a circle. "In fact, I remember you went  _reverse_ cowgirl in round two."

" _Damon!_ "

He smirked at her.

Glaring at him, she shook her head. "You can come or not. That's up to you. But I already said I'd go."

Pursing his lips, he grumbled at her. " _Fine_."

Turning back to her book, Bonnie shrugged. "Fine."

She could feel him glowering at the back of her head, but he took out his irritation on the cutting board. It took him ten minutes before he said, "I'm not wearing a hat. Cover up this hair? That'd be a  _tragedy_."

Biting her lip to keep from smiling, she nodded. "Okay. No hat."

"And those giant belt buckles are just making up for something, which I don't have to do, so regular belt."

"Mmhmm. So just you usual plaid shirt and jeans then." She looked up at him, amused. "Somehow I think you'll still fit in."

"Ha, ha," he muttered.

Damon finished prepping the sauce and then said, "We should probably practice your cowgirl skills though, keep them sharp."

Bonnie grinned and turned down a page on her book to mark her spot. "How long's dinner going to take?"

Wiping his hands on a dish towel, he smirked and wiggled his eyebrows at her. "We've got time."

* * *

**…**

* * *

"So…?" Kayla turned on her heel, a hand on her hip as she arched an eyebrow expectantly. "What do you think? Lots of space, right?"

"How much did he say the rent was again?" Damon frowned as he cast a critical eye around the bathroom. "That shower head looks loose."

"That's an easy fix, isn't it?"

"Could be…" He turned back around and made his way out into the hall. "You know this neighborhood isn't great… Closest bus stop is at least a fifteen minute walk. And  _you_ don't drive a car."

Her chin raised defensively. "No, but I have a bike."

"There's no elevator; you'd have to carry that sucker up four floors. Not to mention, it's almost winter. We're going to have ice soon. You can't ride on that." He bypassed the bedroom to take another walk around the living room. "And what's that smell? Fish? Curry?  _Both_?"

"It's an apartment… You're going to smell what everyone's cooking and not all of it is something you'd want. Whatever, I'll buy air fresheners. But what do you  _think?_  It's nice, right?"

"It's… something." He pursed his lips. "The carpets need cleaning, and there's water damage under the sink in the kitchen. The cupboard bottom is rotting from a leak. Also… Danny mentioned there was a bed bug issue in either this building or the one next door." He smirked. "Really want to take your chances?"

Kayla frowned. " _What?_ " She hugged her arms around her waist and darted her eyes around suspiciously. "Gross. And you let me come in here!?"

Shrugging, he walked toward the door. "It's a fifty-fifty chance. Besides, you had another place to look at, right?"

"You mean the one that's out of my price range?" she scoffed, walking down the hallway toward the stairs. "I probably shouldn't even check it out."

"It's fifty bucks. You do a little budgeting here or there and you're golden." He draped an arm around her shoulders. "Fifty extra bucks gets you a better neighborhood, a shed you can lock your bike in, and lots of street lighting for when you're coming home from your little raves."

"I don't go to  _raves_ ," she muttered, elbowing him in the ribs.

He feigned pain, but grinned. "Sure you don't, Kid. Anyway, the other building has a security guy too.  _And_ they replace the carpets every time a long-term tenant moves out, so you know you're moving into a place that makes sure they keep the building up."

"How do you even  _know_ all this?" she wondered.

Shrugging, he said, "I might've called around, talked to the manager…"

Kayla's mouth kicked up on one side. "You are  _such_ a dad!"

"Bite your tongue." He gave her hair a ruffle. "I'm just saving myself a future headache. You know how Bonnie gets. She'll start worrying about you as soon as you're out on your own. This way I can head her off, tell her you're fine."

"Right…" she said skeptically. " _Bonnie's_ the worrier."

He pursed his lips at her, but didn't bother arguing. "C'mon. I'm hungry. We'll get lunch and then we'll check out the other place… Did I mention they allow pets?" He wiggled his eyebrows and held an arm out for her to take. "You strike me as a black cat type."

Kayla snorted, but hooked her arm with his. "Lead the way, old man."

* * *

**…**

* * *

Bonnie should have known that, despite his complaints, Damon would fit right into the middle of a barn dance. He was a little more flamboyant with his dancing, but he seemed to be having the time of his life.

"I hope you're getting photographic evidence of this." Chris took a drag off his bottle of beer. "Where'd he get the hat?"

"Someone  _lent_ it to him." She rolled her eyes. "He refused to wear one because of his hair, but now look at him…" She waved a hand out to the crowd, where he was grinning and laughing as he do-si-do'ed a giggling girl who couldn't be older than eight.

"He does have a knack for taking over a party."

Bonnie shook her head as she smiled. "I'm using this as proof the next time he complains he doesn't want to go out."

Taking out his phone, Chris took a few pictures with it. "I'm using it as blackmail material."

Laughing, Bonnie leaned over to see the pictures. "Send them to me?"

Chris winked at her conspiratorially.

* * *

**…**

* * *

Bonnie was  _exhausted_. Between taking over Sara's dance classes, her shop, and her packed social schedule, she was just  _done._ It was Friday, which meant she had the weekend coming up, but she had plans, so it wasn't likely she'd be getting any much wanted rest. Which was why she was currently curled up on the couch with her favorite quilt, a mug of hot chocolate in reach, and some music playing in the background. She had a headache that wouldn't quit and every muscle in her body felt strained, so she was keen to just stay exactly where she was and not move an inch. Which was exactly what she did, and how Damon found her a few hours later.

Dumping the now cold hot chocolate down the sink, he turned out the lights and walked back around to the couch. Picking her up, quilt and all, he carried her down the hall to their room and tucked her into bed.

Stretching, she blinked up at him sleepily. "Hey," she murmured.

"Hey." Taking a seat on the edge of the bed, Damon rolled her wool socks down off her feet to toss in the laundry basket. "You all right? I got back from Danny's and you were passed out."

"Just tired…" She rubbed her cheek against her cool pillow. "Long week."

He hummed and kneaded his hand along her calf. "You're feeling all right though?"

"Yeah, just getting used to teaching the dance classes. More work than I thought." She shrugged one shoulder, her eyes drifting closed.

"Okay." He stood and tucked the quilt in around her before he kissed her temple. "Why don't you sleep in tomorrow?"

Her nose scrunched up. "We were going to do that thing…"

He half-smiled. "The ice rink will still be there next week."

She hummed, like she wanted to argue, but she was already drifting away. His lips grazed her cheek one last time before sleep swamped her.

* * *

**…**

* * *

Damon slapped her hand away from the veggie and dip plate. "Hands off. We need those for later."

"Nobody ever eats the radishes anyway," Bonnie defended, stealing a few more. "And I'm making more room for all the celery you're cutting. How many people are supposed to be there?"

He shrugged. "Don't know. Chris just said to make a big platter. Why don't you make yourself useful and get the cracker plate ready?"

"So you can rearrange it?"

"You don't put Ritz crackers next to Cheez-It's, Bonnie…"

She raised an eyebrow at him and smirked. "You know who you remind me of right now?"

He pointed his knife toward her, but there was no malice there, just a knowing grimace crossing his lips. " _Don't_ say it."

"Caroline," she emphasised, popping another radish piece into her mouth. "You're going full-Caroline on this thing."

Sighing, he shook his head, putting the knife aside and wiping his hands on a dish towel before he walked toward her. "I'm not sure I like that comparison…" He planted his hands on either side of her knees, palms flat on the counter. "In fact, I think I take offense." His nose brushed her cheek as he leaned in, mouth skimming her jaw line. "I might have to punish you for it."

Bonnie shivered, biting down on her bottom lip. "Are you sure you have time for that? You have an event to cater. And who knows which crackers might be put next to which… What if the broccoli and the celery are too close together? Too much green will ruin your balanced color scheme. You wouldn't want—" Her breath caught as he nipped lightly at her neck, his hands sliding up her legs, squeezing gently.

The dress she was wearing tapered from her hips to her knees, meaning he had to shuffle it up her thighs in order to open them and carve out a space for him to stand. She turned her eyes down, following his progress as he kissed across her bare shoulder and down her arm, raising her hand up to rest on his chest.

Warmth bloomed across her heart and she smiled, reaching a leg around his waist and tugging him closer. "We'll be late…" she warned.

One of his hands fit across her cheek, his thumb skimming the edge of her mouth. "Worth it."

She scraped her teeth over his thumb and watched his pupils dilate. A shiver ran through her, a thread of confidence from just how quickly, how  _completely,_ she could grab his attention. She danced her fingers up his chest, palm smoothing over the side of his neck, skimming around the back to gently tease the loose hair there before she pulled him in. He was pushing her dress further up her hips and she wiggled side to side in an effort to help. Their foreheads pressed together, eyes caught, and she let out a shaky breath against his lips.

He licked his lips, the drag of his tongue brushing her mouth in the process.

Absently, she wondered if radish breath was a thing, and then decided she didn't care, and neither would he. She melted into the slant of his mouth, her arms overlapping around his neck, her chest arching up to press against his. It was going to be sloppy, she could tell right away. Full of laughter and readjusting. One of them would accidentally drop their hand into the vegetable plate, likely sending it to the floor. She should suggest somewhere else, somewhere there wasn't food or loose cutlery lying about, but she didn't.

Chances were, they wouldn't end up going to Chris' party. They'd probably finish off the last of whatever vegetables were salvaged as they lay curled up together on the couch. It didn't matter that she'd dropped a pretty penny on her dress or spent over an hour getting ready. This, right here, was absolutely worth it.

He was kissing down her neck when he accidentally bumped the cutting board; the crash of it hitting the floor made them both laugh. And she was once again reminded that falling in love with her best friend was the best choice she'd ever made.

* * *

**…**

* * *

"Okay. I think that's everything…" Damon dropped one last box on top of the dining room table and took a look around the apartment. "You see anything missing? Got all your furniture, clothes, pots and pans…?"

Kayla, hands on her hips, shook her head. "Yeah, that's all of it. Lisa helped me put the bed frame together, so now it's just a matter of unpacking everything."

"Yeah, what about the TV stand?" He rapped his knuckles against the tall, thin box leaning against the living room wall. "Hasn't even been opened yet."

Shrugging, she sighed. "I don't know. I'll get to it eventually. Honestly, I think I'll just order in pizza and pass out somewhere in the chaos."

He snorted, turning back to the box and feeling around the edges to yank the tape off. "I'm just gonna take a look at it… Could be easy to put together."

Amused, Kayla ticked a brow up. "Have at it. You put it together, we could watch Blood Ripper with the pizza."

"The first one? Going classic on me, huh? All right, I'll bite…" He turned the box over to start pulling pieces out and then leaned back on his heels as he surveyed it all. He tossed the directions to the side, sure that he could figure it out on his own.

An hour later, Kayla had a new television stand, and Damon was pleased with himself, even if it did end up taking a lot longer than strictly necessary. Bonnie arrived soon after, extra-large pizza in hand, and Damon smiled to himself, eavesdropping as an excited Kayla showed Bonnie around her new place.

* * *

**…**

* * *

"Don't tell your mom." Damon broke off a piece of the cheeseburger he was eating and tossed it in the air.

Mina leapt up and caught it, gobbling it down in two bites and then licking her mouth and staring at him intensely for another piece, walking distractedly at his side.

What had started out as an afternoon jog somehow turned into a fast food run. Not that he or Mina were complaining, really. The cheeseburger was a little soggy, which was why Mina was getting so much of it, and he was already mentally going over what they had at home to see if they had everything they needed to make homemade burgers, but it was still a nice break.

Eventually, he let Mina finish off the burger while he drank his chocolate shake. He'd skipped the fries, but he was regretting it a little. "Grocery store?" he suggested.

Mina's ears perked. Now that the food was gone, she was eager to get moving again.

There was a store a few blocks over where he could get everything they'd need, so they started walking over. He'd had enough of the burger to decide jogging wasn't the best choice just yet. "You know what else we need…?"

Mina's tail wagged as she looked up at him.

Damon could remember a time when the only interaction he had with animals was occasionally manipulating a crow into making a scene just a little creepier before he attacked his next meal. He was much happier with his current canine companion.

* * *

**…**

* * *

"I don't know, I definitely think I'm winning for better snow-person. I get bonus points for not automatically making it a dude."

Bonnie rolled her eyes. "You just wanted to make snow boobs."

He smirked, waving his gloved hands toward his 'masterpiece.' "And they're perfect." He tipped is head and squinted his eyes. "You know, I think I modeled them after you…" He maneuvered his hands around to gauge them and then nodded.

" _Damon_!"

"What? It's flattering." He crossed his arms over his chest. "She's definitely the hottest snowlady on this block."

Shaking her head, she reached over, scooped a 'snow-boob' off and smushed it against his chest.

Damon looked down at himself and then arched an eyebrow. "Was that a gesture of war, Miss Bennett?"

She grinned slowly, and then took off running.

Laughing, Damon started scooping up snow and packing it into a ball. "Just remember… you started this!"

Bonnie shrieked happily as he gave chase.

* * *

**…**

* * *

Bonnie accepted the mug of tea Kayla offered to her before she circled around to sit on the couch across from her.

"You're settling in nicely," Bonnie noted, taking a look around the apartment.

"Yeah. It's nice not living at home. I feel more independent, you know? Like I've finally got control of my own life." She looked down into her own mug and stirred it. "School's going well too. I still kind of feel like something's missing, but… I don't know. Maybe that goes away. Lisa thinks it's just one of those things that happen when you're in that middle-ground between being a teenager and being an adult. Like an adjustment period." Her mouth pursed. "Was it like that for you?"

"For me?" Bonnie's brows hiked as she thought back to when she was Kayla's age. "Honestly, I don't think I really got the chance for an adjustment period. One minute I was seventeen and the next thing I know, my whole life was turned upside down. Everything happened really quickly. My Grams died and not long later, my dad died. So… Yeah, I mean, I think it's normal to question who you are and what you want for yourself and out of life. Sometimes, life makes that choice for you, but if you've got the chance to figure it out on your own, take it."

Kayla nodded. "It's just weird, I guess. I feel like I'm moving forward but stuck in the same place at the same time." She shook her head. "I thought it'd be different when I realized I was gay and when I found Lisa. Like I'd find that missing piece somehow."

"I don't think anyone can be your missing piece," Bonnie said. "Other people can't fill the empty spaces. When I was younger, I went through periods of depression. I didn't know who I was, so I convinced myself that I should be someone I wasn't. I did things I shouldn't have. I became this self-sacrificing person that put herself last. But that's no way to live. Sometimes you just need to step back and really think about what you want and what you're getting. And if you're not getting what you want, then change it."

"It sounds easy when you say it, but I don't know what I want. I thought I had what I want." Kayla shook her head. "Don't get me wrong. I love Lisa. She— She's amazing. I just… I feel lost sometimes. Like I don't know where I am or why I'm here." Rubbing a hand over her forehead, she muttered, "It's dumb. Mom says I'm just having an identity crisis because life feels like it's changing so quickly. Maybe she's right."

"Even if she is, if you ever want to talk…"

Kayla nodded, smiling faintly. "I know. You're here for me."

Reaching over, she patted her hand comfortingly. "Whenever you need me."

Drawing a deep breath, Kayla blew it out noisily. "Enough of this heavy stuff, let's talk about something else."

"Tell me about your classes," Bonnie encouraged.

Kayla brightened, and the subject changed course.

* * *

**…**

* * *

Mina was nosing around the Christmas tree, where a small collection of brightly wrapped gifts were waiting for morning. Damon was pretty sure she was searching for the jar of milk bones he'd picked up for her, and Bonnie had insisted he wrap, in keeping with the season. Aside from the gifts they'd gotten for each other, there were two from Naomi, with attached crayon-covered homemade cards from with her little kidlettes; a neatly wrapped box from Kayla; two medium sized, messily wrapped boxes from Danny and Carla (gourmet chocolates for Bonnie and cigars for Damon, as had become tradition); a bottle of expensive bourbon from Chris and Brandon (which they'd already opened as their one Christmas Eve gift, and were currently enjoying); and finally Annette and Peter's gift of a tree ornament and a card, which he assumed held what it did every year, a gift card for a nice dinner at Rosario's Restaurant.

When Mina's tail started wagging excitedly, he whistled to call her off; the last thing they needed was her tearing all the presents open just for a treat. While she looked back at him hopefully, she took his head shake at face value and instead went to lay down in front of the fireplace, propping her head on her paws and giving him sad looks in the hopes that he would cave.

"One gift," Bonnie said, catching his hesitation. "We already opened the bourbon. She can wait for tomorrow."

"Look at that face, Bon. How can you say no to that face?" He waved a hand toward Mina, whose ears perked at the attention.

With a snort, Bonnie shook her head. "There's leftovers from dinner, give her some of the roast if you want." She wiggled off of where she'd been leaning against him so he could get up, her book perched against her knees.

Climbing off the couch, he whistled for Mina to follow as he walked to the kitchen. This was the first year they were spending Christmas out at the cabin, and Damon was glad. There was something nice about staying somewhere that wasn't home. It was kind of like a vacation, as close as they could get to one since they couldn't technically leave town. As he pulled out the platter of leftover pot roast, he found himself wondering where he might have taken her if they were still alive. Was she a skiing in the Alps type or would she prefer a sandy beach, skip the snow? He thought of how happy she was, making snow angels and snowmen, and decided she'd prefer the traditional Christmas. So it was kind of perfect, the cabin with the falling snow outside, the fire keeping them warm and the twinkling lights of their Christmas tree.

After he was sure Mina had her fill of roast, he covered it and put it back in the fridge before he returned to the living room. Flopping back into his corner of the couch, he drew Bonnie back against his side and spread his arm along the length of the couch.

"Christmas was never a big deal when I was growing up," he told her. "Dad wasn't big on gifts that weren't  _earned_ … Mom would sneak us stuff though. Trinkets and toys and chocolates. And later, when it was just me and Stefan, I'd show up sometimes, bottle of bourbon and a half-assed Christmas card…"

She turned so she could see him, her head resting on his shoulder as she watched the animation of his face. "I'm sure he misses you… He's probably got his own bottle and he's drinking it in your honor."

"You think?" He looked down at her, brow raised as he searched her eyes.

"I know you guys had your rough patches—"

He snorted. "Understatement."

"—but he always loved you. Just like you always loved him." She shrugged, and then reached forward, topping off each of their glasses before she handed him his. "To Stefan."

His throat tightened briefly, and then he knocked his glass against hers. "Merry Christmas, brother." He knocked it back in one swig, smacked his lips, and dropped the glass back to the table. "What about you? Hm? What kind of  _Bennett_ traditions do you miss?"

Bonnie smiled softly. "I don't know. I guess I just miss Grams and dad at the table, bickering like they usually did. Grams getting a little too drunk on the spiked egg nog and dad singing Christmas carols… Those old black and white movies playing in the background… It was familiar, you know? Comforting."

He nodded, watching that flicker of sadness play across her face. He brushed his fingers over her hair and leaned down, pressing a kiss to her forehead. "I'm sorry."

"What for?" Her brow furrowed. "Even if I were alive, I wouldn't have them…" She shook her head. "And I'm okay. I—I'm happy. We have our own traditions now, and I love them."

His knuckles rubbed across the arch of one cheek as he smiled down at her. "Me too."

"Good." She closed her book and put it aside. "You know another Christmas tradition I like?"

"What's that?"

She pointed up, a slow grin forming on her lips.

He let out a laugh as he spotted the mistletoe above. "Well. If it's tradition…" He smirked as he leaned down, and Bonnie hummed against his mouth.

They slid down the couch, wrapped in each other, and as far as traditions went, he was quite happy with theirs.

* * *

**…**

* * *

Damon sat back on the stool, elbows on the table behind him. "Lift your arm a bit."

Danny frowned. "You said that last time, I nearly took out that waitress."

"That's because you have terrible aim. But you throw it now, you're going to hit the wall instead of the dart board."

"What? Am not," he scoffed.

Damon rolled his eyes. "Fine. Throw the dart. See who's right."

Looking from him back to the board, Danny frowned. He lifted his arm, aimed, and let loose. The dart managed to hit the board, but barely, telling both him and Damon what they both knew. "All right, okay, quit looking so smug."

Damon grinned, drawing his beer up for a swig. "Watch a pro, brother." He stood from his stool to take up a couple darts, got into position, aimed and fired.

Sighing, Danny shook his head. " _How?!_ "

Shrugging, Damon smirked. "Practice… Had some time to perfect my technique."

"Yeah, all right." Rolling his eyes, Danny shifted back on his seat and grabbed up a few pretzels from the bowl in front of him. "Hey… What do you call the Children of the Corn's father?"

Raising an eyebrow, Damon slid onto his own stool. "Hit me with it."

Danny grinned. " _Pop_ corn."

Rolling his eyes, he snorted. "Already starting on the dad jokes. You got it bad."

Shrugging, he admitted, "Won't be too bad, right? Carla's excited. She wants a brood, but I'm trying to focus on just the one for now."

"Yeah, so, shouldn't be too long, huh? Then you won't have much time for darts and beer, it'll be all diapers and baby powder."

Danny grinned. "Sacrifices, man. We'll just have to hang out at the house more."

"Not sure baby vomit goes with this jacket," he muttered.

"Y'know, one day it's gonna be you. Mark my words." Danny pointed at him with the neck of his beer bottle. "Little Damon Junior, running around, causing havoc."

"Damon Senior's not done causing havoc, so Junior's gonna have to wait."

Humming, Danny wondered, "Have you and Bonnie talked about it? About kids?"

He shrugged. "We're happy where we're at."

"I get that," he said, nodding. "Still expect you to play the cool uncle though."

"You kidding? I'll spoil that kid rotten." He winked. "I won't just be cool, I'll be they're  _favourite_."

* * *

**…**

* * *

"Hey! Sorry I'm late," Bonnie said, a little out of breath as she untied the scarf from around her neck. "Ran into traffic. Did you see the road work they're doing over on Matheson Street?"

"Yeah. Potholes." Naomi nodded. "Reggie Walters threatened to sue the city if somebody didn't fix them…"

Snorting, Bonnie hung her jacket on the back of her chair and then motioned a thumb over her shoulder. "I'm going to get something to drink. You want anything?"

"Mm, yeah, get me a raspberry tart? They're addicting!"

Grinning, she nodded. "Sure, be right back." Rubbing her hands to get the chill out, she made her way to the short line leading up to the counter and scanned the blackboard of menu items for which hot drink she wanted.

It was a few minutes before she arrived back at the table with two raspberry tarts and a hot chocolate with whipped cream and sprinkled bits of candy cane on top.

"What?" she said, seeing Naomi's look. "I like holiday themed things."

Naomi grinned, shaking her head. "Don't I know it? The shop looks like winter threw up on it."

Unrepentant, Bonnie shrugged. "I like it. Makes it feel cheerful."

"Mmhmm. Y'know, Valentine's Day is coming up. We should probably trade some of that fake snow in for paper hearts."

"Nope. Not until February." She lifted her chin. "I have a system."

"Yeah? And does that system include hiring any new people? Kayla's not at the shop as much anymore with her college classes picking up and since you're busy twice a week with those dance classes, I need an extra hand."

Bonnie nodded. "I know, you're right. I've been thinking about putting an ad out. Unless there's something you know that you think would work…?"

Naomi shook her head. "Not personally. We can put up a 'we're hiring' sign and see who it brings in."

Her nose wrinkled uncertainly.

"Let me guess, you've got a system for hiring people too," Naomi mused.

Bonnie wasn't actually sure. When she woke up in the other world, everyone thought she'd been there a while, so she had a pre-made staff that had stuck with her the last six years. "No. But I  _should_ ," she decided. "So, ad first, we'll see who bites, and then you and I can go through the resumes, see if anybody sticks out. How does that sound?"

Naomi nodded. "Sounds good to me." She took a sip from her tea and then leaned forward, elbows resting on the table. "So, did I tell you about Jasmine's parent-teacher conference?"

"Mm-mm, how'd it go?"

"Great! My baby girl's the best student in the class, and I'm not just saying that. Her teacher had nothing but good things to say. Never been so proud. He even mentioned moving her up a grade, said she was testing out of math and her grades in her other classes were high enough."

Bonnie beamed. "That's amazing! Good for her!"

"Yeah, she's been doing great. Not sure how I feel about moving her up, but we're talking about it. Seeing what she thinks about it."

"Wow. She's growing up so fast." She shook her head, smiling thoughtfully. "You know, I still remember being her age. Just me and Caroline and Elena, we were attached at the hip. Caroline was an overachiever, she'd get A's across the board, and her mom even mentioned moving her up, but she didn't want to… She wanted to be in the same classes as us." A wistful stab of sadness pulled at her chest, but she tried to shake it off. "Anyway, that's really awesome. Jasmine's so smart. Her momma taught her well."

Naomi grinned, and shrugged one shoulder modestly. "Well, you know how I do."

"Yes, I do, and you should be proud!"

Smile softening, Naomi nodded. "I am."

Bonnie smiled.

" _Now_. Tell me about you. I feel like we only see each other at work lately. What's going on?"

Bonnie sat forward a little to get comfortable as she talked. Naomi was right; they needed to visit more often. Just as soon as her schedule thinned out a little more.

* * *

**…**

* * *

"What's all this…?"

Damon shrugged as he turned to her. "Just a little mood lighting."

"A little? I think you emptied out my supplies…" She grinned though, casting her eyes across the many platforms holding flickering candles. "Valentine's day isn't for another week…"

"I know." He tossed the lighter away and walked toward her. Scooping her bag off her shoulder, he put it on the counter and then circled around her to help her take her jacket off. " _This_ isn't for Valentine's Day."

"No?" Her brows hike curiously. "Then what's it for?"

"Just because."

Biting her lip, Bonnie looked back at him. "You sappy romantic."

He rolled his eyes as he hung her jacket on the rack. "I prefer ' _sensual_ ' or ' _ridiculously attractive_ ' to 'sappy.'"

"Duly noted." Reaching for him, she hooked a finger in a belt loop of his jeans and tugged him toward her. "So what is this mood lighting  _for_  exactly? _"_

He stared down at her, a grin playing at his mouth. "Come here…"

Bonnie laughed lightly as he took her hand and led her into the living room, where the furniture had all been pushed out to form a space in the middle. "Pillow bed?"

"I was going to make a fort, but it kind of defeats the purpose of all these candles." He led her into the pillow bed and then grabbed up a bottle of wine and a couple glasses he'd placed just off to the side. "So?" He poured her a glass and handed it to her. "How was your dance class?"

Sighing, she sunk back on the pillows and sipped at her wine. " _Long_ …"

Taking a deep breath, she soon found her rhythm in sharing her night at the dance studio, and her day at work. She talked a bit about the rest of her week too, hiccups that tripped her up or argumentative customers. It wouldn't be until later, until the candles were dying down and she was laid out, her head on his chest, heartbeat strong under her ear, and the wine long gone, that she realized the whole point was for her to relax. To decompress a little.

"Hey…"

"Hmm?" His fingers stroked through her hair tenderly.

"Thanks."

"For what?" He kneaded his hand down the nape of her neck soothingly and her eyes fell to half-mast.

"Looking out for me."

He turned his head to see her, smiled, and pressed a kiss to her forehead, where he mumbled. " _Always_."

Sliding her leg over his, she pressed a little closer, rubbing her face against his chest. "Yeah?"

"You're stuck with me."

Bonnie nodded. "It's mutual."

"Good."

* * *

**_MYSTIC FALLS_  – 2013**

* * *

Caroline Forbes was a  _fixer_. A  _doer_. A can-do, will do type of person. She was persistent and focused and she never let anybody tell her that she couldn't do something, no matter how impossible it might have seemed. This, for the most part, was something to be admired. She could admit that,  _occasionally_ , she could get a little  _too_ focused on something. In most cases, however, her persistence ended with good results. Never let it be said that Caroline didn't put in one hundred percent, and then an added ten just for good measure.

Six months ago, when Bonnie and Damon were effectively stripped from their world, Caroline had made it her mission to get them back, whatever it took, and she had jumped into said mission with both feet. If one were to look at her To-Do List, it would have read as follows:

 **1.**  Fix Mystic Falls so magical beings (ie. vampires!) can get back into it

 **2.**  Resurrect/bring back/ _fix_ the whole Bonnie/Damon/dead mess (maybe just Bonnie…  _fine_ , Damon too)

 **3.**  College

 **4.**  Live happily ever after (and kick bad guy ass in the process!)

A few amendments to said list had to be made over that course of time. Like 'make sure vampire hunters that are currently using Mystic Falls as a catch-all to kill vampires get their rage-a-holic asses out of my town!' and 'remind Stefan why friendship is good and running to ignore feelings is bad' and 'keep Enzo from becoming Damon 2.0 and killing everything that moves because he has the munchies.' Simply put, it was a very long, very stressful, very  _busy_ time. But, Caroline persevered and juggled her responsibilities until she managed to get everything back under control. Well, technically the vampire hunters were still lurking around and Enzo occasionally killed people without remorse, but he definitely tried to narrow that to enemies and not just regular, innocent people, which was a tick in the 'win' column as far as Caroline was concerned.

Regardless, the most important part of the list was Bonnie (yes, and Damon too, she guessed… if she  _had_  to). Now, it wasn't easy to track down, just like Bonnie's vagabond cousin who never seemed to stay in one place long before cashing in her chips and moving on to the next town, chasing whatever caught her eye for the moment. Unlike the unflappable and stable Bonnie Bennett, her cousin Lucy was flighty, happy to move wherever the wind took her, and digging her heel into Caroline's last nerve. But, for all that Lucy was difficult to find, or keep in one place, she was also strong, smart, and well connected, which meant, after months and months of searching and planning and calling in far too many favors, it looked like Caroline was going to be welcoming home her best friend (and, fine, Damon too,  _whatever_ ).

Cheerfully, she made her way through the small house she was renting, just on the outskirts of town, and poured herself a drink as she hummed cheerfully under her breath.

"You look  _chipper_ ," Stefan commented, joining her in front of the fire and accepting the glass of bourbon she passed his way. "And… you're drinking bourbon." He frowned. "You don't like bourbon."

"It's a special occasion." She knocked her glass against his and tossed her drink back before pursing her lips. "Oh.  _Ew_. No. I need something to wash that taste out."

Stefan chuckled under his breath and sipped at his own drink, watching her mix up something else. "So? What's this special occasion then?"

" _I…_ Well,  _we_ , are going to have to set up the spare bedrooms. We have guests. Okay, technically not  _guests_ , but you get the idea…"

Brows furrowing, he asked, "You didn't invite Enzo to stay here again, did you? Because that didn't turn out so well last time…"

"No, I didn't. Although, I think shoving him in the fireplace and threatening to set him on fire was a  _tiny_ bit excessive…" She raised an eyebrow back at him.

Stefan shrugged. "It didn't feel that way at the time."

"It never does with you two… In fact, if I didn't know different, I'd think it was some weird kind of foreplay. Kind of like how Bonnie and Damon used to fight all the time and get up in each other's faces. There was definitely some sexual tension there."

He blinked at her. "I'm not sure which one of those I should comment on first…"

"Stenzo. That's got a nice ring to it, actually. It definitely  _flows_."

"Uh-huh." His mouth turned up with amusement as he nodded, rolling his eyes. "Back on topic, just who are we having stay with us?"

"Well, that's the best part…" She bounced on her heels a bit, lit up proudly. "Lucy found someone who can help her cast the spell."

Stefan stared at her a long moment, his mouth settling into a line. "No."

Caroline's excitement faded abruptly. "Okay, I know what you're thinking, but this is real this time. I know we chased down lead after lead and came up empty. I know we've tried things like this before. But this is  _different_. I can feel it. I know it's going to work!"

"Caroline…" he sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose.

" _Don't_ 'Caroline' me. I know that voice. That's your 'I love you, but you're wrong' voice." She pointed at him seriously. "Stow the condescension, all right? Look, just meet with Lucy and this other witch and  _then_ you can tell me how much the plan sucks. Except it doesn't and you're going to be thanking me for the rest of your undead life."

Tipping his head, he considered her a long moment, before finally nodding. "Fine. I'll meet with them."

Giving a little squeal of happiness, she hopped on spot and wrapped her arms around him in a hug. "See? Was that so hard?" She leaned her head back to see him and raised her eyebrows. "When are you going to realize I am almost always right?"

" _Almost_ always."

She nodded. "Like… nine times out of ten."

"Pretty good odds, but  _possibly_  a little biased coming from you…"

She laughed. "Where's your proof?"

"I think I can make a compelling argument that might sway you…" He wrapped an arm around her waist and squeezed gently.

"Yeah?" She leaned into him, arching her back so their chests were pressed flat together. "I'm eager to hear this."

"What do I get if I win?"

Her smile softened and she stretched her fingers along the nape of his neck. "What do you want?"

"Simply…?" Stefan's hands swept up her back. "You."

"And not so simply?"

" _You_."

Her mouth stretched into a slow smile as she ducked her eyes.

"I'm looking forward to that."

"To what?"

"To you still making that face decades from now..."

She bit her lip as she looked up at him. "Might take some work. If I've learned anything about love, it's that staying in it is  _not_  easy."

"No, it's not…" he admitted, nodding. "But it's easier with the right person."

She sighed gently, gazing up at him with a soft smile. "What's this face tell you?"

"Nothing I didn't already know."

"Which is…?"

He leaned in close, their noses brushing, and in a quiet tone, nearly at a whisper, he said, "You love me."

Her mouth ticked up at the corners. "Do I?"

"You do."

"Is this another theory you plan on proving, Mister Salvatore?"

"In elaborate detail…" He started stepping backwards then, bringing her along with him. "Are you up for that? It could take a while."

"Oh, I'm really interested in hearing what you have to say…" she giggled. "Lead the way."

So maybe 'return Bonnie (and Damon) to the land of the living' could wait just a  _little_  while longer… It wasn't like they were going anywhere.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry this took so long. my muse wandered off for a while there, and then i got busy with school and practicum. but the muse is firmly back now that tvd has returned.
> 
> a few people have asked how long it'll take to get back to the 'present,' and i'm thinking about 6 chapters to cover the remaining time, as well as cover their wedding. that's not really a spoiler, since the summary states that she's his wife, lol. so that's on the way. also, many have wondered how time passes in mystic falls. as we see in the last bit, for stefan and caroline, it's only been six months. so one month for every year that damon and bonnie have experienced.
> 
> again, sorry for the long wait, i know it probably caused a few readers to give up hope, but i swear i'm back and will work to keep updates more frequent. so let me know what you thought of the update and if you're still reading!
> 
> thanks,
> 
> \- **lee | fina**


	12. grateful

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **face claim** : [C A S T](http://sarcasticfina.tumblr.com/eternity)  
>  **music** : "[rather be](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-E07QJ-2bRA)" by seinabo sey

* * *

**MYSTIC FALLS - 2013**

* * *

"Look, I get it, you're frustrated, so am I!" Caroline cried, following at Elena's heels. "But there's still hope, okay? I talked to Lucy, and her witch fell through, _yeah_ , but she has another one that comes from this really mysterious coven. Mysterious means more powerful, right?"

Sighing, Elena came to a stop in the hallway and turned on her heel to face her. "Caroline, you need to _stop_. It's been seven months and we are no closer to getting them back."

"That's not true! Lucy sent me somewhere, when we did the spell before. She sent me— Well, I don't _know_ exactly, but I know that I went somewhere! And I think if we can just get this right, then we'll find them."

"There's nothing to find. They're _dead_. There's no other side, there's no _heaven_ , there's nothing. Damon and Bonnie are dead, and all you're doing is dragging out the pain for everyone."

"Oh, and I suppose you're doing a better job of grieving." Caroline scoffed, her hands on her hips. "Partying every night so you can pretend they were never here or never mattered is not grieving, Elena."

"I'm not _pretending_ anything. I'm just trying to cope, all right? And yes, so what, I've been partying. It's a way to escape." She shook her head, her eyes round and hurt. "Can't you see how much this is hurting me? I don't know who I am without Damon. I don't know how to function."

"You're not the only one hurting," Caroline snapped angrily. "And Damon isn't the only one we lost! Or did you forget that your _best_ friend also died!?"

"Of course I didn't," she sighed. "But… It's different. Damon—"

"It's _not_ different. Bonnie was here long before Damon. Bonnie has been with us since we were _babies_. Bonnie was the one that held our hands when we walked to school because she was afraid we'd get lost. Bonnie was the one who sat with me through my parent's divorce. Bonnie is the one who always told me I was good enough, no matter how many times I cried all my insecurities out on her shoulder. _Bonnie_ does not _die_ like this, okay?!"

Caroline's hands shook so hard she balled them up into fists. "And do you even _hear_ yourself? 'You can't function.' 'You don't know who you are.' This isn't about _you_ , Elena. It's about getting Bonnie back. It's about what she _deserves_. And dying like this, having us give up on her, that's not an _option_. So, I'm sorry if you think I'm being cruel or— or _insensitive_ or whatever. But I'm not going to stop. Not until Bonnie is back."

With that, she turned and stalked away, blowing out an irritated breath. She was halfway down the hall, before she whirled back around. "And you are officially uninvited from Christmas dinner until you pull your head out of your ass!"

Caroline made it down the stairs and outside before her anger fled, replaced with a flood of sadness. Tears bit at her eyes and her hand pressed to her stomach as she sucked in a shaky breath. Shaking her head, she closed her eyes and tried to breathe through it.

So _what_ that Lucy's witch friend didn't work out. There were other witches, _better_ witches, and eventually they were going to find the right one. She didn't care that Elena had given up and was burying her heartbreak in booze and partying. She didn't care that Stefan kept looking at her with pity whenever she brought the subject up. She didn't care that even Lucy was looking less and less optimistic about their chances. Her best friend needed her and Caroline was going to do whatever it took to bring her back. It was the least she could do.

* * *

**SEVEN YEARS**

* * *

Damon hummed, his eyes half-closed. "We need to get up."

Bonnie shook her head. "Five more minutes," she murmured, turning herself over and pressing her face against his side to block out the morning light creeping into their room.

He smiled. "You said that five minutes ago."

Hand sliding across his stomach, she pinched him.

" _Hey!_ " He screwed up his mouth and reached down to swat at her hand.

Bonnie laughed, and then lifted her head, resting her chin atop his ribs as she looked at him. "What happened to sleeping in?"

"We _did_ sleep in…" He looked over at the alarm on her bedside table. "We _more_ than slept in."

Blowing out a sigh, she pouted her lips at him. "I don't want to get out of bed. I'm happy right where I am."

" _Usually_ , I would be all for that, because you've been overworked lately. But we promised Mina we'd take her to the park, and I still need to get lunch ready if you want to have a picnic."

Biting her lip, she turned her head to the side, hair rustling against his bare skin. She stared at him, something soft happening to her eyes.

"What?" He squinted at her. "What's that look?"

"Nothing." Her mouth curved up at the corners, and then she was leaning up, pressing her forehead to his. "Remind me to kiss you when I don't have morning breath."

"I'll survive," he muttered, before slanting his mouth over hers.

She laughed lightly, unsurprised.

Damon reached a hand up, his fingers skimming her cheek and down the slope of her neck. Humming, he leaned into her until she fell back against the bed and he slid on top of her. Maybe they could stay in bed just a _little_ longer…

* * *

**…**

* * *

"What color are we painting this place again?" Damon wondered, looking around the nursery.

"Yellow," Danny told him, carrying the cans in. "Carla says it's neutral."

"You're not gonna find out the gender?" Chris wondered, taping down the last bit of canvas tarp to keep the floor covered.

"Nah, we want it to be a surprise. Carla's got a feeling it's a girl, but we're picking out names for both, just to be sure."

Damon hummed. "What happened to putting up wallpaper? I thought her and Bonnie picked out something with ducks or frogs on it."

"She changed her mind. Just like she did last night when she told me to go to that 24-hour gas station and get her salt n' vinegar chips but when I got home, she'd eaten a whole box of Ritz crackers with ketchup and then went back to sleep."

Chris laughed. "Can't fault her for her cravings."

"No, but I _hate_ salt n' vinegar chips, and now we got a bag in the cupboard, just _mocking_ me. _Plus!_ We're out of Ritz crackers. I was gonna eat those!"

Rolling his eyes, Damon tossed him a paintbrush. "You'll survive."

"Easy for you to say," Danny muttered. "You didn't get laughed out of a gas station at 3 am because you forgot to put pants on and you were wearing your wife's 'hot stuff' maternity shirt..."

* * *

**…**

* * *

"What's this?"

Bonnie looked over her shoulder as she pulled a pair of plates down from the cupboard for the take-out she and Kayla had picked up. They were having a girl's night in at her place. Damon was hanging out at Danny's for the evening, so they had the place all to themselves.

Kayla stood beside the book shelf, a familiar grimoire in her hands as she leafed through it curiously. "Are these… _spells?_ " Her brows hiked.

Bonnie cleared her throat, a thread of worry running through her. "Kind of…" She held the plates tight between her fingers. "It's more like a family heirloom. My family was said to be related to Salem witches and _that_ … That was theirs." She shrugged. "Sentimentality."

" _Cool_." Taking the grimoire with her, Kayla took a seat at the dining room table. "Have you ever, you know, _tried_ one?"

Bonnie choked on a laugh. "No. Of course not."

"Really?" Kayla picked through a few more pages. "I would. Being a witch would be awesome."

"Yeah… I remember you told your mom you were a witch when you were little." Bonnie stared at her searchingly. "You know, I never asked, but… Why'd you think you were a witch?"

Shrugging, Kayla read a few lines from one spell then flipped to another. "It was a long time ago, but… I don't know. I had a feeling, I guess. Or maybe I just wanted to be different."

"So no… premonitions or anything?" she asked, grinning a little, and hoping her question came off kind of joking, just in case.

"Not really. I mean… Sometimes I'd get a feeling, you know? That something bad was going to happen, and then it would. But, mom said it was just coincidence. Which makes sense, I guess. I mean, if witches were real, we'd know about it, right?"

"Maybe." Bonnie brought the plates and forks over to the table.

"Still. This is cool." Kayla grinned down at the book as she gently touched the browned edges of the pages.

"Yeah." Bonnie smiled. "I guess it is."

* * *

**…**

* * *

Damon spent a good five minutes frowning at the paper taped to the front door before eventually tearing it off and marching inside. "Did you guys see this?"

Chris glanced up from the plate of nachos he was working his way through. "There's only one front door and we all walked through it."

Rolling his eyes, Damon took a seat beside him, stole a cheesy chip, and popped it in his mouth.

Danny reached over and grabbed up the paper. "Sadie's is closing? _Why?_ "

"I'd guess money." Chris shrugged, taking up his mug of beer. "Sadie's has been around a while, but the place isn't exactly up to date. The women's bathroom has been down for renovations for…" He frowned. "What year is it?"

Damon snorted. "So what!? It's a town staple."

"It's a staple that costs more than it's worth. If they updated the place, they'd have a better chance, but right now…" He took a look around meaningfully. "They're not making enough to stay afloat."

"Man… This sucks. Where are we gonna go when it closes?" Danny shook his head. "Only other bar is that dance club. I don't dance."

"You _can't_ dance, doesn't mean you don't try," Chris joked.

Danny shrugged, grinning. "All right, got me there."

Frowning, Damon took a look around. The place needed more than a few renovations; it was in serious need of an update. While it was one of his favorite places to go, it wasn't exactly packed with people, nor was it boasting much of anything. But the food was all right, the beer was cheap, and they knew his name when he walked in. It was hard to beat that.

Considering the town itself felt like it never really changed, it was a little weird to have something that had become a staple of his life have an imminent end to it. Distracted and disappointed, he poured himself a mug of beer from the pitcher on the table, and sighed. _To Sadie_ , he silently cheered, before taking a long drag.

* * *

**…**

* * *

"Didn't we see something cheesy and romantic last week?" he complained, frowning up at the movie poster placed on the outside wall of the theater.

Bonnie raised an eyebrow. "There were at least four explosions in the last movie we saw. It was a James Bond rip-off. And a _bad_ one."

"Oh, right…" He turned to her, hands sliding over her shoulders and kneading gently. "All right, it's your pick. What do you wanna see?"

"That one." She pointed. "And yes, it has subtitles, and no, you can't nap through it. That's rude."

He laughed, and then nudged her forward toward the ticket booth. "If you say so."

"I do." She dug around in her purse and pulled her wallet out to pay. "Oh, hey, Carla invited me to go see a movie this weekend. I was thinking you and Danny could come; you could just see a different movie at the same time. Like that shark one he won't stop talking about."

Damon nodded. He moved to walk at her side as they stepped inside the theater, his hand sliding down to the small of her back. "Danny's a shark freak. He marathons Jaws every year. It's a tradition."

"A tradition you take part in? Because if you do, he might not be the _only_ shark freak." She bumped her hip against his. "I've seen you during shark week…"

Damon shrugged. "I may not be one anymore, but I can appreciate a calculated killer."

Bonnie snorted. "That's just what I like to hear on date night."

Grinning, he bent to pop a kiss on her lips, and felt her smile back.

* * *

**…**

* * *

"Okay, hear me out… We buy the bar."

Chris blinked at him. "That's your whole pitch… That's it?"

"You want a PowerPoint?" Damon scoffed. "Look, between me and you, we pool our resources and knowledge, we take over Sadie's, revamp it, and make it into the new town staple. With all the parts of Sadie's that we liked and all the new staff, clients will need to make it their usual haunt."

Sitting back against the couch, he frowned thoughtfully. "Opening up a bar isn't easy… There's a lot of red tape to get through. I'm not even sure it would pass inspection as it is right now."

"Well, that's where my expertise comes in. I can do the renovations myself. It'll save us money in the long run anyway. We buy the property, get everything up to code, spend some time renovating it so it's even better than before, then have a grand opening that knocks the town's socks off." He grinned, nodding. "We can do this."

"Even with our combined savings, we'll need to take a loan out."

" _So_. We do that then. I have great credit. So does Bonnie. The bank loves her. She could be a silent third partner. Although, heads up, 'silent' isn't a word I'd use to describe her…"

Snorting, Chris shook his head. "You really want to do this? Just… Quit your job and open a bar? What makes you think we'd be good at it?"

"You're good with numbers and you know people. I'm good at telling people what to do and I'm not too shabby in the kitchen. I'll find a good cook, help build a new menu, you cover the hiring and the books. We co-manage the place, trade off days… You remember what Danny said? The only other bar around here is the dance club. They cater to a specific crowd. We'll bring in the rest."

Licking his lips, Chris's brow furrowed as he gave it some thought. "Let's say we do it… What do we call it?"

Damon smirked.

* * *

**…**

* * *

Bonnie raised an eyebrow as she stared at him across from her at the dining room table. "You want to quit your very stable, very good paying job and open a bar on a whim with your best friend… and you want to name it after your _dog?_ "

Damon blinked, and then pointed his fork at her. "Well, when you put it like that it doesn't sound _nearly_ as genius as it actually is."

" _Damon_ … I know you're upset it's closing, but do you really think this is a good idea?"

"No, hey, just listen, okay? This is a great investment! Chris and I will be going in fifty-fifty. I'll do all the reno's myself, he'll handle all the boring numbers stuff. We'll build up a good staff, make a new menu, make sure the whole place looks shiny and new, and _voila_ , instant success."

"There's nothing instant about it. You'll be spending weeks, maybe months renovating. Months in which you won't have a job. _Plus_ , you'll probably have to take a loan out. You and Chris _both_. Then there's all the different fees that go into opening a business. Even if you do get a good clientele, most of your money will be going back into the bar for the first while."

"Okay, so things will be tight," he admitted. "Probably for a while. But Bonnie…" He stared at her searchingly. "I think this could be great, I really do. It's not perfect, I know that. Once I crack it open, who knows what I'll find in the walls. Mold, electrical problems, piping issues, whatever. But… I _want_ this. Don't get me wrong, I love what I do, and Danny's a great supervisor, but this could be mine. You have your shop, and you love it. It's not always easy, but it's _yours_."

Drawing a deep breath, she sat back in her seat, and considered it. It took her a few minutes, stirring her fork around her plate of fettucine. "So… _Mina's_?"

He nodded. "Mina's Bar and Grill."

Chewing her lip, she dropped her gaze to her plate. "If you really want to do this… then I'll support you."

He grinned slowly. "See. I knew you would."

Bonnie rolled her eyes, but her mouth ticked up in a smile. "Uh-huh. At least now I know why you made that four-layer chocolate cake, you were trying to butter me up."

" _Never_. That's a celebration cake." He wiggled his eyebrows at her.

Snorting, she shook her head at him. "For what it's worth, I might have my reservations, but… I know you, and once you set your mind to something, you make it happen. So I'm sure this will be just the same."

Reaching for her hand across the table, he gave it a squeeze. "Thanks."

"Mmhmm…" She reached for her glass of wine and raised it up. "To _Mina's_."

"To Mina's," he returned, knocking his glass gently against her own.

On the floor, Mina herself stood up, looking excitedly between them and licking her mouth as she eyed their plates. If the bar turned out even a fraction as good as its namesake, then it was well worth whatever it took to make happen.

* * *

**…**

* * *

"For the record, any future children we have will not be sleeping in one of those cheap cribs from Walmart," Damon announced as he walked into the house, closing the door behind him while he yanked his jacket off and kicked his shoes away.

Bonnie looked up from her place on the couch, a book in her lap. "Hey, that crib wasn't cheap. Carla and I hunted it down at a maternity store on Main street."

"It _felt_ cheap. And we nearly broke it three times trying to put it together." He frowned, walking over to slump down on the couch beside her. "What're you reading?"

"Same book as yesterday." She put it aside and tapped a hand against her thigh.

Taking the cue for what it was, he turned, dropping his head into her lap and closing his eyes as her fingers combed through his hair.

"So I take it the crib still got put together though?"

"Mmhmm. Took us four hours, a couple mental breakdowns, and Danny set the instructions on fire, which set off the fire alarm, but it's officially put together. Baby Herrera will sleep soundly, whenever he or she gets here."

"Good." She scratched her fingers over his scalp. "Take out for dinner?"

"Take out," he agreed, nodding. "You call, I'll nap."

Bonnie reached for her phone on the end table beside the couch. "You want extra egg rolls?"

"And plum sauce. There's never enough."

"'Kay."

Damon turned himself over onto his side then, face brushing against her flat stomach. When she was done calling in their order, he wondered, "You ever think about it? Having a baby?"

"Sure. Probably more than usual, since Carla's just about ready to pop…" Her fingers lightly skimmed his neck. "I always figured I'd have kids eventually. But everything back in Mystic Falls was always so chaotic… Once you know what lives out there, what kind of dangers there are, it's hard to imagine bringing kids into that world."

"Yeah." He nodded, and let out a long, tired sigh. _Yeah_.

* * *

**…**

* * *

"Why did we think miniature golf would be fun?" Naomi wondered, pushing her sunglasses up on top of her head.

"You're the one who thought we should do team bonding with the staff," Bonnie reminded, knocking her putter against the end of her shoe. "I don't know why you're complaining, you're _winning_."

Naomi shrugged. "I take the kids here a lot, I've unwittingly gotten good at it."

"It shows." Bonnie covered her eyes from the sun as she looked behind to where her small collection of staff was still trying to defeat the windmill.

"What about you? You're not far behind me. Is this another date night of yours?"

Bonnie shrugged. "Every few months we get tired of movies and Bingo and dancing, so we come out here. There's a championship board if you manage to sink the hole in one at the end more than ten times… Damon's picture's on it."

Laughing, Naomi shook her head. "Why am I not surprised?"

"He's competitive." Sighing, she leaned to one side, eyeing her staff. "It's a good thing he's not here, or he'd never stop complaining."

"Yeah, well, he'd have the right idea. We'd be done this whole course by now if these kids would hurry it up."

Bonnie grinned. "They were selling ice cream at the front. You want one? I'll buy."

Plucking her hat off her head to fan herself, Naomi pointed at her, "Best idea you've had all day."

* * *

**…**

* * *

Chris plucked the reading glasses off his face and dragged a hand over his tired eyes. Sitting back on his deck chair, he said, "It's going to be tight, financially, but… I think we could do it. With you doing the repairs, it'll save us money, but you're only one guy, so it'll cost us time."

"I plan on roping Danny in whenever I can." Damon shrugged. "I'm sure a few other guys would be happy to help if we gave them free drinks when we open."

"Just as long as there's an expiry date on those drinks, I'm fine with that."

Damon nodded before looking down at the grill and flipping the burgers. "Brandon's okay with it?"

"He's a little worried, but he knows I wasn't really happy at the firm. It paid the bills, but it wasn't what I wanted to do."

"Let me guess, you wanted to be a bar owner."

Chris snorted. "No, not really. But… even if I never saw myself doing it, doesn't mean it's not the right move. Sadie's was operational. It set a low bar, and we're going to raise it a lot higher, but I think we can do it. And even if we crash and burn, at least we tried."

"Optimistic, I like it." Damon waved the spatula in his direction. "On the bright side, if we _do_ fail, we both have a safety net. I have a sugar mama, and I'm sure Brandon wouldn't leave you even if you _do_ end up filing for bankruptcy."

"Now who's being optimistic?"

Grinning, he shrugged. "Glass half full, brother. Glass half full."

* * *

**…**

* * *

Damon maneuvered some of the bags over to his other hand and knocked on the door. "I got a delivery here for a starving kid," he called out.

Kayla opened the door mid-eye roll. "Seriously?"

He smirked, and held up the bags. "I brought you sustenance. Bonnie said you were low on the necessities."

Swinging the door open wide, she invited him inside. "You didn't have to go grocery shopping for me," she muttered, shifting her feet.

"I hear poor, destitute college students need a handout sometimes." He shrugged, and dropped the bags on the kitchen counter for her to sort through. "Come on, you can put this stuff away and then I'm taking you out for dinner. You can tell me how your classes are going and all your little romantic drama with Leslie."

"It's Lisa, and I know you know it's Lisa. You're just calling her by the wrong name because you know we're fighting and this is how you show you're on my side." She looked over at him knowingly as she put the canned goods away in her cupboards.

Damon shrugged, offering no comment, and took a seat at her dining room table. "So? Where do you wanna eat?"

Kayla moved on to the produce and said, over the door, "I don't know. We could try that pizza place, across from the bookstore."

"Sure. We're ordered in from there, they're not bad." He cast his gaze around the apartment vaguely. "So… you and _Lisa_ are still fighting then?"

"It's nothing, it's dumb. She just thinks I'm obsessed with getting out of town and traveling, thinks I should be happy where I am. It's whatever."

Damon hummed, tapping his fingers atop the table. "Think you'll patch it up?"

"Probably. We usually do." Closing her fridge door, she looked back at him. "Couples fight, right?"

"Yup. It happens." He nodded. "Me and Bonnie fought like crazy… Well, before we dated. We still do now, occasionally, but not like that. Now we talk it out, like civilized adults that have a mortgage and joint bank accounts."

Kayla snorted.

"You want some advice?"

She raised an eyebrow at the offer, but nodded. "Sure."

"Talk to her."

Her brow furrowed. "That's it?"

"Don't yell, don't scream, don't try to prove you're right. Just sit down, tell her how you feel, and then give her some space." He shrugged, and stood from the table. "Ready to go? I want artery clogging grease in my diet, asap."

She nodded, but her eyes were turned away thoughtfully. "Is that how you and Bonnie make it work? You just… tell her what's making you upset and then leave her alone?"

"We argue, then I realize about half-way through that I'm a dick, so I spill my guts on why I'm being a jackass, she offers a better solution, and we have epic make-up sex." He grinned at her. "It's worked for us so far."

With a laugh, she shook her head at him. "Overshare."

"You asked." He walked through the door, and reached back to hold it open for her. "What're we getting on our pizza?"

Kayla followed him out, locking up behind them, and mused on pizza toppings, amused every time he nixed one.

* * *

**…**

* * *

"Are you falling asleep?" Bonnie asked, tipping her head back to see him.

"I'm resting my eyes," he denied.

She snorted. "Mmhmm. You know, if I wasn't in here, you could _drown_."

"Then I guess it's a good thing you're here." Damon slid his arms off the sides of the bathtub and sunk them into the water, his hands coming to rest on her stomach. "You can administer CPR and mouth to mouth."

Bonnie rolled her eyes. " _Subtle_."

"I've never been a fan. I prefer a little flare and drama."

"Uh-huh." She settled her head back against his chest. "So, everything went well though?"

"We John Hancocked every dotted line. I'll be hearing 'and initial here' in my dreams for the next _month_."

Her mouth ticked up. "But it was worth it?"

Eyes open now, he looked down at her. The bubbles were slowly dissipating, but the water was high, and Bonnie had sunk down low enough that the majority of her was hidden. Just the tops of her shoulders, neck, and hair could be seen. Her hair was tied up so it wouldn't get wet, and her soft, brown skin was damp and flushed. She tipped her head back to see him, a brow raised, and smiled up at him.

"Yeah." He wrapped his arms around her and dropped his chin to the top of her head. "It will be."

* * *

**…**

* * *

Damon grinned as he stood, staring down at the tiny baby in his arms. "What'd you name her?"

Danny looked up from his seat beside Carla's hospital bed. "Sofia Marianna Herrera."

"Beautiful," he said, quiet and sincere. His thumb ran over the soft arch of Sofia's wrinkled forehead, her eyes squeezed shut and her lips puckered as she slept. "So?" he looked back to Danny. "How's it feel to be a dad?"

With a short laugh, he admitted, " _Terrifying_."

Damon shook his head. "You'll be great. You were made for this, brother."

"Yeah?" Danny frowned skeptically. "What if I suck at it? What if I do the wrong thing or mess her up completely?"

"I'm pretty sure Carla will be there to make sure that doesn't happen. And anyway, you're not doing it alone, right?" He shrugged. "I'm sure Bonnie will babysit sometimes."

Bonnie scoffed, reaching out to kick him in the leg.

Laughing under his breath, Damon rolled his eyes. "Fine, I'll help too. Least I could do, right? I'm an honorary uncle."

"Yeah, and we'll be reminding you of that a lot when we need sleep," Carla piped up from the bed, looking tired but happy.

Damon grinned at her. "Nice work, by the way. I could hear Danny screaming from down the hall."

"She almost broke my hand!" Danny defended. "Look at it! I'm pretty sure that finger is permanently bent."

"Baby," Carla accused lightly.

"Whatever." Danny stood then, his arms out. "Gimme my kid."

Damon eyed him skeptically. "With that mangled finger? I don't know. That could be a safety concern…"

Snorting, he rolled his eyes. "Shut up."

* * *

**…**

* * *

"Well? What do you think of your namesake, Mina?"

Mina yipped happily, walking next to him as he made his way through the skeleton of his new bar, having torn down everything he deemed too old or unsafe. The place was gutted, to put it simply. But the layout was still intact, even if he planned on moving a few things around. The booths and tables were gone; they would be replaced with new furniture. The old juke box and small dance area was removed; Chris had plans for a better sound system and dance floor off to the side. The bar was dismantled; he was going to build a new one himself from the ground up. Pipes and insulation were on full display currently, drop clothes and plastic curtains were scattered all throughout. At face value, it was awful, but he had a vision in mind that he was going to make happen.

"Is she everything you hoped she'd be?"

Mina barked at him, her tongue lolling and her tail swinging. He took it as positive encouragement.

"Good. But she'll be even better when she's done."

Hands on his hips, he took a good look around. There was still a lot to do. Months of preparation before the doors could be opened to the public. But he had a good feeling about this. Smiling to himself, he nodded. A really good feeling.

* * *

**…**

* * *

Bonnie tried to catch her breath, her heart pounding in her chest. Arms wrapped around his neck, she leaned forward until their foreheads pressed together, warm and damp. His hands skimmed up and down her bare back soothingly, and she hummed. Turning her head, she dropped it down to his shoulder, nose buried at his neck, and just rested against him, chest to chest.

"We might need a new couch," he said, his voice a low rumble. "I think we've run this one into the ground."

She laughed, and curled her fingers in the hair at the nape of his neck. "It's gonna have to hold a while longer. I don't think we have a new couch in the budget."

"Then we should probably stop having sex on it, at least for a while."

She nipped at his neck. "You started it."

Damon grinned. "I finished it too."

Rolling her eyes, she snorted, and lifted her head. "I think I did my fair share, thanks."

"You were great. Best I ever had." He winked and then squeezed her hips. "Shower?"

Bonnie hummed. "Bath. My legs are tired."

With a little maneuvering, Damon managed to get off the couch, still holding her.

"Show off," she muttered.

Laughing under his breath, he kissed her as he walked them toward the bathroom. "You run the bath, I'll get the candles."

Bonnie nuzzled against his cheek. "And the wine."

"Deal."

* * *

**…**

* * *

"Carla, she's making that face again!" Bonnie hurriedly handed Sofia back to her mother.

Carla laughed, cradling her daughter to her chest and sitting back in her arm chair. "She's not a _bomb_."

"I don't know, she's thrown up on three of my best shirts…" Bonnie pursed her lips, eyeing the baby skeptically. "I'm starting to think she has it out for me."

"That's why I've given up on wearing anything nice for the next while." She plucked at the loose fabric of her t-shirt. "This is the most I've dressed up since she was born."

"You know, if you ever need some time to yourself, I'll be happy to babysit. I'll just invest in spit-up ready clothes."

"I know, and thanks for offering. I'm just not ready to be away from her yet." She shrugged. "Besides, these yoga pants make my ass look _amazing_."

Bonnie laughed. "Whatever makes you happy."

* * *

**…**

* * *

Since the budget was tight lately, date nights were becoming more simple, but Bonnie wasn't complaining. She liked their low-key hangouts. And she liked visiting the bar while it was in progress; it seemed like every time she dropped by, something new was up or painted. There was a junky radio playing in the distance as she walked through, swiping the odd plastic cover out of the way as she went. The floors were a collection of dust, debris, and tools. The walls were still cracked open, or removed entirely, in most places. Damon had a buddy who worked full time as an electrician and, so far, all the wiring seemed to check out. The pipes were another matter; especially in the women's washroom. It took a good chunk of money and time to get that whole mess figured out.

But… She could see his dream coming together. He'd shown her the blue prints a few thousand times, told her where exactly he wanted everything to go and how he wanted it to look; what fabrics would go on the booths, what colors would paint the walls, what kind of lighting would go where. She could tell he was in love with the idea in his head, and she hoped the finished product would do it justice. As it was, it currently just looked like a giant mess.

Damon was whistling to himself when she finally found him, a tool belt around his waist, his arms covered in dust and dirt.

Mina was laying on a drop cloth on the floor, her tail slowly working up a beat as she caught sight of Bonnie coming toward her. Getting excited, she lifted her head and peered up at her happily, before abruptly rolling onto her back, tongue lolling.

Snorting, Bonnie crossed toward her and crouched down to give her a belly scratch. She had to put down the six-pack of beer she'd brought with her and balance the pizza box on her hip to do it, but Mina was in her glory.

"Hey," Damon said, looking up at her, his brows hiked. "When'd you get here?"

"Just now. I'm guessing you forgot date night? Or is this a new handy-man chic thing you've got going for you?"

He grinned. "I think I've perfected it, personally."

She rolled her eyes, mouth upturned at the corners. "Uh-huh. You need a shower."

"You don't like my manly smell?" He lifted an arm and gave his armpit a sniff, before scrunching up his face. "All right, you make a good point."

Standing, she patted Mina's head as she followed and leaned against Bonnie's leg. "I brought pizza and beer," she told him. "I didn't think you'd be up for doing anything since you've been here since… what? Seven?"

"Six." He reached over to pluck the pizza from her hand and popped a kiss on her mouth. "Have I mentioned I love you?"

"Not as often as you could."

"I'll work on it." Leaning over Mina, he grabbed up the beer and carried it over to the bar. He grabbed out a piece of pizza and took a large bite, flipping the lid open wide, as he looked back at her. "How was work?" he wondered, still chewing.

"Good. _Long_." She took a look around. "You?"

He wiped at his mouth with the back of his hand and shrugged. "Same."

Shrugging off her jacket, Bonnie folded it up and placed it on a clean spot on the bar. "Chris come by to help?"

"Danny too. But they left around dinnertime." Putting the half-eaten pizza slice back in the box, Damon dusted his hands off and reached for her. "C'mere."

"Where are we going?" she wondered, taking his outstretched hand.

"Not far." He walked them a few feet over, kicking some tools out of the way, and then released her to bend down and fiddle with the radio until he found something he liked.

Bonnie smiled as he came back up and caught her hand, pulling her in close for a slow dance. "Smooth," she told him.

"I've still got moves." He gave her a twirl and brought her back in, her back to his chest, their arms wrapped low around her waist. "I missed you today."

"Yeah?" She tipped her head back to see him. "You've been busy here, I get it."

"Yeah, but it doesn't have to be at the expense of you, or us." He pressed a kiss to her neck. "I'll take the weekend off. We should go up to the cabin, relax."

She smiled. "I'd like that."

He nuzzled against her ear as they continued to sway to the song, and Bonnie closed her eyes and sunk into the moment.

 _[We have stalked out on a mission to find our inner peace](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-E07QJ-2bRA)_  
_[Make it everlasting so nothing is incomplete](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-E07QJ-2bRA)_  
_[It is easy being with you, sacred simplicity](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-E07QJ-2bRA)_  
_[And as long as we're together, there's no place I'd rather be…](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-E07QJ-2bRA)_

* * *

**…**

* * *

"We can't change the menu _again_ ," Chris told him, shaking his head.

"I'm not sold on the appetizers." Damon shrugged. "I need to make a few adjustments."

"I vote you have a tasting party," Brandon suggested, looking up from his place sprawled out on the couch, his feet on Chris' lap. "Get everyone together, make a sample buffet, see what everyone likes best."

Damon perked up. "We could…" He frowned. "Is it too cold to host it outside?"

"It's almost December," Chris said. "But it hasn't snowed yet."

"Your place is bigger than ours. So either we do it here or we do it in my backyard…" He squinted his eyes thoughtfully. "You guys have that double oven too…"

"Just do it here." Brandon grinned. "Anywhere that gets me closer to the food, I'm happy with."

"Great! So let's go over what we want to put out."

Chris sighed. "Don't you have a girlfriend waiting on you?"

"She's got her dance classes tonight. I'm free 'til 9." He shrugged. "Might as well be productive."

* * *

**…**

* * *

"Bon?" Damon tipped his head back to yell from the kitchen.

"Yeah," she shouted from the back room.

"I'm taking Mina to the corner store." Mina jumped around, circling him excitedly, pawing at the leash hanging from his hand. "You want anything?"

Leaning out the door, she said, "Uh… _ice cream!_ "

He rolled his eyes. "It's freezing out."

She shrugged. "Good thing I'm inside, where we have a nice warm fireplace."

"All right, fine." He bent to clip Mina's leash on. "But I'm getting the one with the cherries in it."

"Fine. Get whipped cream too!"

His brow furrowed. "You making a sundae?"

"It's not going on my ice cream." She winked at him before ducking back into her storage room.

"Huh." Damon shrugged, before grabbing his jacket. "Worth the frost bite, hey, girl?"

Mina barked in reply.

* * *

**…**

* * *

"Is that duct tape?"

Danny looked up from Sofia, sleeping peacefully in her crib. He cast his eyes toward where Damon was pointing and then nodded. "Oh, uh, yeah… I didn't trust it'd stay together."

"So you _duct taped_ it?" He shook his head. "Not bad."

He shrugged. "I sleep better at night."

Damon hummed, and then cast his gaze back to Sofia. "Deep sleeper, huh?"

"Not at 3 in the morning, she isn't." But the look on Danny's face was full of adoration. "Hey…" He looked back at Damon. "What do you call a baby monkey…? A chimp off the old block." He wheezed out a laugh but, before Damon could so much as groan, they heard a hiccupping whine come from the crib below.

"Well, at least she has enough good taste to know your jokes are terrible."

Danny snorted, and reached down to rub Sofia's belly in soft circles, soothing her back to sleep. "They'll grow on her."

* * *

**…**

* * *

The bar was slowly coming together, and Bonnie found herself more and more impressed with each visit. She crossed the floor, markedly absent of plastic curtains, and took a seat at the shiny bar, where a lone stool sat in wait.

Damon popped up from behind, a wine glass in hand. "For the lady…" he said, pouring out her favorite wine.

"Thank you."

Putting the bottle aside, he asked, "So… How's life going? You got a man at home you want to bitch about?"

Snorting, she took a sip of her wine and shook her head. "Nah, he's a keeper."

"Yeah?" He leaned forward, elbows on the bar. "You sure? Because I've got a break coming up, and I bet I could rock your world."

Tipping her head back as she laughed, she looked back at him with a grin. "Is that what you say to all your customers?"

"Mm, no. I'm very selective. They have to be about yay-tall—" He motioned with his hand.

"I am _not_ that short!"

" _Obsessed_ with candles—"

She scoffed.

"—bossy to the extreme—"

"Keep it up," she said, an eyebrow arched.

"—of the magical persuasion, _formerly_ —"

"Uh-huh."

"—and willing to put up with my unique personality."

"Tall order for such a _short_ woman."

He chuckled. "She manages."

"She sounds like a saint."

"Could be." He nodded, stealing her wine for a sip of his own. "Saints aren't celibate, are they?"

Rolling her eyes at him, she took her wine back. "You're such a dork."

Smiling, he leaned over, giving her a quick kiss. "You say the nicest things, Bon-Bon."

Sliding a hand behind his neck, she brought him in for another kiss. "Let me make it up to you…"

* * *

**MYSTIC FALLS - 2013**

* * *

Caroline stood angrily in the kitchen, going through the motions of plating the perfectly prepared meal she'd spent the majority of her day cooking. Christmas was supposed to be a time of joy and togetherness, but she couldn't help but feel a well of bitterness growing in the pit of her stomach.

Through the open kitchen doors, she could see her guests scattered between the living room and the dining room. Elena was cozied up to her _second_ bottle of wine, Jeremy and his flavor of the week (day?) were flirting on the couch, Tyler and Matt were playing paper-football at the table, Enzo was channel surfing, and Stefan was—

"If you mash those potatoes any more, they'll turn into pulp."

— _always looking out for her_.

He gently eased his hand over hers and relieved the masher from her grip. If there were imprints in the plastic from her fingers, then she would blame it on shoddy materials and not her growing frustration.

Smoothing her hands down her Christmas themed apron, with its dancing pine trees and red, frilled edges, she took a deep breath. "Cranberry sauce," she muttered under her breath, before moving toward another counter. Cooled to room temperature, she transferred it into a different bowl and then scanned the room to see what else she could work on, but she'd already prepped most of the food. The only thing left was to bring it all out to the table and have Stefan carve the turkey.

"Hey."

She turned, looking to where Stefan was putting the mashed potatoes into a new bowl. "Hey," she replied, softening a little when her attention was solely on him. "I'm sorry. I'm sucking all the Christmas cheer out of everything, aren't I?"

"I'm not sure there was much cheer to suck out…" He offered a half-smile. "It's okay to be upset, Caroline. It's the first Christmas without them."

"It's not just that. I mean, that's part of it, definitely. It's just…" She sighed, glancing back at their collection of friends. "I don't know what I expected. A miracle, probably. That the powers that be or Lucy or hell, _Santa_ , would just make it all better and bring them home. But here we are, Bonnie-less…" Her mouth scrunched up. "I even miss Damon. Kind of. Sort of."

Stefan's lips twitched as he circled around the island to stand behind her, his hands rubbing across her shoulders soothingly. "I know you were hoping things would be different. That maybe Lucy would find something…"

"I know you think I'm wasting my time." She crossed her arms defensively. "Elena's made it clear that all I'm doing is avoiding the inevitable." Mouth turned down, she shook her head. "I don't know what to do. I don't… I don't know how to _feel_. I look at Elena, burying her grief in partying and drinking and pretending there's nothing missing. And Jeremy, with his latest _floozy_. And _you_ …" She glanced back at him. "I know you miss him. I know that there are days where all you want to do is run as far away as you can get. And maybe I'm part of the reason you stay. Maybe making sure we'll all okay keeps you here. But I think it's more than that. I think you're waiting on a miracle too. You're not the optimist in this relationship, and I've always thought that we balanced each other out that way. But I know you still have hope, Stefan.

"And even though everything that could go wrong _has_ gone wrong, I still want to hope too. I don't want to bury my grief, because I don't want to _grieve_. I want them back. There, I said it. I want Damon back too, okay? And I know that Elena thinks I'm only hurting everyone. And Jeremy is a walking herpes sore at this point. But I'm not doing it for them, and I'm not only doing it for me. Bonnie deserved more than this. She deserved better than what we gave her. So I won't let her float in some weird void when she could be here, _home_ , with us."

Drawing a deep breath, Stefan nodded, and reached for her, rubbing his hands down her arms until she uncrossed them. "You're right. There's a part of me that does still hold out hope. And every time things doing turn out, it… it dims a little. Not just for me, but for you too, because I know how much you want this." He searched her eyes. "Caroline, if you need to do this, then do it, for as long as it takes. But just remember that you have people here too that love you."

"I know." She smiled softly, squeezed his hands, and then stepped closer to him. "I know I seem angry and bitter and like I don't want to even be having this dinner. I know I've been avoiding Elena and pushing away Matt and that sometimes I bury my head in research and let everything else go ignored. But I know, Stefan. I know you're here, and I know my mom worries, and that our friends think I might be just a few steps too close to falling over the ledge into complete insanity. I just… I know that there's an answer out there, a way to bring them back, I just need to _find_ it."

He nodded, and then tugged her in close for a hug. "Okay."

She sighed, relief swamping her, and rested her head against his chest, arms looping around his waist.

"Well, isn't this _darling_ ," Enzo's voice chimed in.

Caroline felt Stefan's frame tense.

"Not to interrupt, but I was hoping we might eat some time this year… Elena's hogging the wine and I have a date with a vein or three later tonight."

"Lovely. That's just what I want to hear on Christmas. That you'll be sampling the locals and possibly destroying a family in the process," Caroline muttered, disgruntled.

"No _families_ … Just whatever sad, pathetic meal has decided to spend their Christmas at the nearest dive bar…"

" _Enzo_ ," she sighed, before untangling herself from Stefan and moving toward the island. "Here, make yourself useful and help us bring everything out, all right?" She grabbed up the large bowl of stuffing and shoved it into his hands before reaching back for the cranberries and Brussel sprouts.

She pushed past him toward the dining room, but could still clearly hear him say, "Someone's remarkably low on cheer this holiday season…"

Stefan drew a deep breath before replying, "For the record, the only reason you're still alive is because Caroline spent a lot of time putting this together, and your corpse wouldn't fit with the Christmas décor."

Enzo scoffed. "Charming. I'll be sure to snag her under the mistletoe later to show my appreciation."

Stefan laughed hollowly, a noise that was empty of amusement and full of warning. "Of course, if I kill you and drop you in the dumpster outside, your body wouldn't be interrupting anything."

Turning on her heel, she quickly made her way back into the dining room. "Stuffing, table, _now_ , Enzo."

"Love it when you're bossy," he sassed, winking at her before he walked away.

Caroline rolled her eyes, staring after him, gaze bouncing around every one else. Matt was fiddling with a paper football, Tyler looked like he wanted to be anywhere else but where he was, Elena was hiccupping against the near-empty bottle of wine, and Jeremy— oh _gross_ , he was making out, on _her_ couch. She'd have to have it steam cleaned now…

Shoulders slumping, she sighed. "This is the _worst_ Christmas _ever_."

"Okay, Mrs. Grinch, I think you might be exaggerating _just_ a little…" Stefan smiled at her knowingly. "Come on. We'll sit down, have a nice dinner, and you'll see. Things will turn out better than you expect."

Caroline pouted at him, not quite convinced, but eventually surrendered. "Fine. But next year, just me, you, and my mom," she told him decisively.

He snorted, and nodded agreeably before he reached over and plucked up the platter carrying the turkey.

Caroline grabbed the gravy boats and stared after him. She drew in a deep breath, briefly considered stealing what was left of Elena's wine and retiring to her bedroom to wallow, and then dismissed the idea entirely. Instead, she plastered on a smile and walked out to meet her guests. It didn't matter that they weren't enthusiastic about dinner, that her and her smile were so far from sincere it caused a physical hurt, or that the one person she wanted to be there wasn't. She still cared about these people, still loved them and wanted them to have a good Christmas, and they were going to. At least so far as dinner went.

Taking a seat at the head of the table, she smiled at Stefan as he reached out to squeeze her hand.

It wasn't perfect. Far from it, really. But they had each other, at least, and maybe that was enough.

* * *

**TAIL-END OF SEVEN YEARS**

* * *

"And that… is… _everything_." Dusting his hands off, Damon took a look around the kitchen. "All right, start rounding up the freeloaders, food's ready."

Brandon snorted from his seat at the kitchen island, where he was (not so covertly) nibbling at the baked Camembert cheese, smearing it on French bread. "The holiday spirit is strong in you, D."

"Yeah, it's almost overwhelming how full of cheer I am." He tossed a hand towel over his shoulder. "And don't think I didn't see you eating the appetizers."

Brandon shrugged unabashedly. "My house, I get a few free passes." He walked backwards through the swinging door of his kitchen, and Damon could hear him calling out for everybody that dinner was ready. A minute later, Chris and Danny walked into the kitchen to help him carry out the last of the dishes.

As he put the turkey down on the red and gold dressed table, Damon took a look around. Bowls and plates were overflowing with food, tall candles were lit and placed down the center of the table. Folded napkins in gold holders sat by silver cutlery. Wine and water glasses framed each person's plate. And everyone was dressed up and eager to eat. Brandon and Chris were leaning into each other, shoulder to shoulder, hands linked on the tabletop. Carla and Danny were fussing over Sofia at the end of the table. Kayla and Lisa were taking a selfie together, holding up their shiny Christmas crackers. And then there was Bonnie, just to the left of him, looking beautiful and happy and wearing the earrings he'd bought her what felt like a lifetime ago.

Spirits were high all around; the food came out perfect, most of his best and closest friends were surrounding him, and Damon was feeling particularly good about where his life was at.

"All right, who wants to say something they're grateful for?" he asked as he started carving the turkey.

"I'll start," Kayla offered, raising her hand.

Damon waved his knife in her general direction. "Lay it on us, Kid."

She rolled her eyes at him lightheartedly. "I'm thankful for great friends, an awesome job, the _best_ girlfriend, and… for you." She looked to him, and then to Bonnie. "For both of you. For, well, basically changing my life. I love you guys, and I'm very happy I'm here tonight."

Murmured _aww's_ filled the table before Kayla slunk down a little, embarrassed by her emotional honesty.

Lisa bumped Kayla's shoulder with her own. "I'm also thankful for my great girlfriend and my family, who I'm glad had a boring work party to go to so I could be here. Thanks for inviting me. And for this amazing looking food. If it's half as good as what you put out for that menu testing party, I might spend every Christmas here."

Danny looked up as the torch was passed to him then. "Oh! Uh, yeah, great family. Grateful for my beautiful, patient wife, my very lovely, very _loud_ daughter, who if she loves her daddy will try to sleep the whole night through tonight… Uh, for good friends. You guys have been awesome. You supported me through everything over the last seven years. I couldn't ask for better people in my life." He raised his water glass in cheers to them. "And, yeah, thank you."

Carla smiled at him, rubbing a hand over his shoulder. "I'm the same. Just very happy to be here, to have the family I do, to be spending this day with all of you, and, yeah. I'm just feeling very grateful all around."

Brandon hummed, wiping at his mouth as he finished off a sip of his wine and replaced the glass on the table. "Sorry." He cleared his throat. "I'm grateful for Chris. He's been my rock from the day we met and I'm very proud of him and everything he's done. I'm happy that he's come so far and that he's starting this new business venture. I think it's going to be amazing." He looked out over the table. "And I'm grateful for all of you, and very glad you could all be here to enjoy today with us." He squeezed Chris' hand and smiled at everybody. "Merry Christmas."

"Merry Christmas," chorused back to him.

Attention on Chris then, he smiled lightly. "It's been a good year. Hectic, but good. We've got a new addition at the table with Sofia. We've got Mina's opening up in the new year. It feels good. I'm grateful life's been going the way it has, and I'm looking forward to next year and everything it'll bring. Cheers."

" _Cheers!_ "

"Me now?" Bonnie's brows hiked. "Okay. Um… Well, let's see. I think the last year's been great. I'm grateful my shop is doing well. That I'm here, surrounded by some of my closest friends. You've all been completely wonderful and I couldn't ask for a better group of people to spend my days with. I'm grateful Sofia's here, even if she does have a personal vendetta against my wardrobe. And… for my family." She reached for Damon's hand, rubbing her thumb over the top. "For my partner, who makes every day worth it and who supports me and makes me laugh and knows me, better than anyone ever has. You're amazing, and I think Mina's is going to be wonderful, for you and Chris." She smiled back at everyone. "So yeah, thank you."

Damon grinned down at her, and nodded. "For good friends, new business ventures, amazing food, and the best woman I've ever known." He raised up a glass, to which everyone else raised their own. "Let's eat!"

Happily, everyone began digging in, filling their plates with the large collection of food laid out in front of them, passing bowls and plates all around. The room filled with mixed conversation then, and Damon took his seat.

It wasn't all perfect. The distinct absence of his brother was felt. But Damon wanted to hope that, wherever he was, Stefan was happy too. He deserved that, at least. Because that was what Damon was. _Happy_. Completely and totally content with his life. He lifted Bonnie's hand then and pressed a kiss to her fingers, smiling as her thumb reached up to stroke against his cheek. He imagined this was about as close to perfect as life could get, and he hoped it lasted as long as humanly possible.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i know, i'm terrible. my updates are super sporadic in part due to my not watching the current episodes. i'm way behind. school got in the way and then i was just pissed about the fast-forwards and not sure i wanted to watch them fuck things up. but i'll be going back and catching up, which'll hopefully help me stay on track more with updating. this was half-finished for the longest time, so i'm glad i finally got back to it and finished it up.
> 
> i was really excited to get Mina's out there, because i can see damon being this really proud business owner and just taking a lot of pride in everything. he liked working construction, it suited him fine, but now he's really setting down roots and you can see that in how he looks at his future. he sees himself with bonnie for the rest of his (after) life and he's really let go of the idea of getting back home. he just hopes his brother is happy while he enjoys the life he's built for himself.
> 
> finally, heads up, there's some reeeally good stuff coming up next chapter. that may just involve a bended knee... ;)
> 
> thanks for reading. hope you enjoyed it! please try to leave a review!
> 
> - **lee | fina**


	13. yes

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **faceclaim** : [C A S T](http://sarcasticfina.tumblr.com/eternity)

* * *

**MYSTIC FALLS - 2013  
**

* * *

**_December 26th_ **

"Caroline's not here?"

Stefan looked back at Elena, seated on the couch, while he poured them each a glass of bourbon. "No. There's a Boxing Day sale." He smiled. "She was up at 4 am for the 6 am door opening."

Elena snorted. "Should've guessed."

Making his way over, he passed her a glass and took a seat in the arm chair. "You wanted to talk about something?"

"Yeah. Uh…" She looked down at her glass and then knocked the whole thing back in one big swallow. Giving her head a shake, she arched her eyebrows, licked her lips, and spun the glass in her hands. "Okay. So, Jeremy and I had a talk the other night, after dinner…"

He hummed, waiting for her to continue.

"He's leaving Mystic Falls. He's decided to move to Santa Fe, to go to art school, and… I couldn't think of one reason he shouldn't go. And once I thought about how good it would be for him, to get away from here, I started asking myself why I'm staying… We can't get back into Mystic Falls and, even if we could, so much has happened there over the last few years, I'm not even sure I want to." She sighed, slumping back against the couch. "I know Caroline is hell bent on this save Damon and Bonnie mission, and I know I've been drinking myself into a depression, but… I want to move on. I'm not saying I'm ready to, I'm not saying I don't miss them, or I don't desperately wish they were here, but… I can't live like this. I _really_ can't." She laughed, but it was empty, and her eyes lifted to meet his. "I don't know if I'll go with Jeremy, or if I'll go somewhere else, but… I think leaving might be the best option for me."

Stefan stared at her a long moment, and then, very slowed, he nodded. "Okay."

"Okay?" She looked uncertain. "No speeches about how I should stay. That my friends will miss me. That _you'll_ miss me."

"They will. I will. But if you think this is what's best for you then… go." With a heavy sigh, he leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. "I don't know if Caroline will bring them back. I really don't. But I do know that grief affects vampires in a very consuming way. Caroline's funnelled hers into looking for a solution. Yours went a different route. And that's fine. I'm not passing judgment. I am saying that if you think there's a way out of it, that you might find happiness somewhere else, then you should do it. Look for it. We won't hold you back from that."

Elena nodded, staring at him searchingly. "It's not forever, right?" She smiled vaguely. "We can always find each other again down the road."

Stefan reached out, placing a hand atop of hers, reassuringly. "Caroline and I will always be around if you need us. I promise."

"Yeah." She nodded, covering his hand. "Okay. Um, I haven't decided yet. I don't know when I'll go or if I'll go or even _where_ I'll go, so just… Don't mention it to Caroline? Not yet, at least. I want to tell her myself."

Sitting back, he nodded. "Sure. Just… don't keep her in the dark too long. It'll hurt her more if you do."

"I know. I won't."

* * *

**…**

* * *

**_December 27th_ **

"Not that I'm not grateful — _I am_ —this is probably the best Christmas gift I've ever gotten. But are you saying that our plans to bring back Bonnie are scrapped?" Caroline paced from one end of her living room to the other. "Because I appreciate it, what you're doing to help us get the supernatural ban lifted from town, but… That's not really my priority right now. I mean, yes, I want to go home. Of course I do! But—"

"It's not scrapped," Lucy interrupted with a sigh. She was leaned back on the couch, one leg extended out along the floor, her hands resting, stacked, on her stomach. "It's not easy tracking down witches from top secret covens. I've got my feelers out, and I've been talking to every witch I know. Plus a few I didn't know and hope I never meet again…" She pursed her lips in a grimace.

"You've done a lot for us." Caroline came to a stop then and turned to Lucy, frowning apologetically. "You've put in more legwork than some of my closest friends. I… I can't thank you enough, I really can't."

"It's fine. Bonnie's my cousin. And what happened to her, that wasn't right. Look, I meant what I said, I'm doing what I can to get them back. But for right now, this is what I can offer you. Your home back. If you want it, I think I know a way I can make it happen."

Chewing her lip, Caroline drew a deep breath. "Say I do want it… What would it take?"

* * *

**…**

* * *

**_December 29th_ **

" _Knock, knock!_ " Liz called, as she pushed the front door open and stepped inside. "Caroline? Are you home?"

"Back here! I'm in the bedroom."

Closing the door behind her, Liz made her way through the apartment. It had really come together since Caroline had unpacked everything and worked on making it a home rather than just a pitstop before Mystic Falls was returned to its former, supernaturally-inclined, glory. Or lack thereof. Throw pillows adorned the overstuffed couches, pictures of friends and family lined the tops of cabinets and end tables, matching lamps were placed all about, and stylish looking paintings hung on the walls. It was modern, more so than their own home, or the boarding house had been, but it had a nice, lived in quality to it too. There were signs of Stefan and Caroline sprinkled throughout.

Caroline's color coordinated notebooks were stacked together; a detailed calendar hung on the wall listing everything Caroline had to do that month; a few towering bookshelves lined a wall, overflowing with the old and the new, some of which were written in fluent Italian (clearly Stefan's); and there were a stack of Bon Jovi CD's sitting next to the stereo, one open, the disc missing. Much as Liz would always see her daughter as the little girl that was afraid to ride her bicycle without training wheels, Caroline was growing up, and had settled into domestic bliss with her partner and best friend. And while, once upon a time, the idea of her daughter loving and living with a vampire would have horrified her, Stefan was of the few Liz trusted and respected. Caroline herself being the topmost winner of that particular title.

Making her way down the hallway, past if the guest rooms she'd spent a few nights in herself, she paused in front of Caroline's bedroom door, and frowned as she spotted the open suitcase on the bed. "Are you going somewhere?"

"Louisiana," Caroline answered, nodding. She tucked her hair back behind her ears as she moved toward her dresser to dig out a few pairs of pants. "Lucy and I talked. She has a lead on someone she thinks can help bring down the anti-magic border. She asked if I wanted to come along."

"Don't you have school?"

"We expect to be back before it starts back up. It'll be fine." Caroline smiled at her reassuringly and returned to her bag.

"Caroline…" Liz sighed, stepping into the room. "Honey, I know everyone grieves in their own way. And I know that you've been doing your best to stay positive and to keep hope alive that you'll be able to get Bonnie and Damon back…"

"We're still going to. Just… not right now. Lucy hasn't found the coven yet, and she says they're the only people that can help us with this kind of magic. It's not a simple resurrection spell anymore. Not that resurrection's ever _really_ been simple, but—"

"Care," Liz interrupted, searching out her eyes. "It's been almost eight months… I know you don't want to hear this, but… Bonnie and Damon are gone. They died. And sometimes… Sometimes instead of fighting, we just need to accept it."

Caroline paused, turning her gaze down to her suitcase as she maneuvered things around to keep her hands busy. "It's not the same. Bonnie and Damon, they aren't like normal people. They— They're special. There are ways to bring them back, to circumvent death. And maybe it's not pretty, maybe it's not something we should be doing, but…" She shook her head. "If it was me, if I was the one over there, Bonnie would do _everything_ she could to bring me back. I know she would. She'd never leave me over there. So… I'm going to do what she would for me."

"You can't spend your whole life chasing ghosts."

With a bitter laugh, Caroline turned to her. "I have a _long_ life ahead of me. And I'm not going to waste a minute of it. I have the time and the resources to do something about this. I trust Lucy. I know she's trying. So until she tells me there are no other options, that there is nothing we can do, then I'm not going to stop."

Liz walked toward her, head tipped faintly, a sad smile upturning her mouth. "I always knew that stubborn streak would come back to bite me in the ass."

Caroline snorted. "I know you're worried. I know you think this is just going to end in disappointment. But I could never forgive myself for not trying."

"I know. And you should. Just… be careful. Sometimes hope hurts more than it helps."

"Message received. Now…" She walked to her mom, hooked an arm through hers, and led her back out to the living room. "What kind of souvenir would you like me to bring back?"

Liz laughed.

* * *

**…**

* * *

**_December 31st_ **

Stefan carried a bottle of champagne with him; he'd stolen it from one of the many New Year's parties scattered around Whitmore. Caroline had left the day before on her scouting road trip with Lucy, and he was feeling her absence thoroughly. If things were different, she would be the one hosting a New Year's party, probably in the boarding house, filling every available inch of space with strange faces, dragging him out to dance with her, to let his 'hero hair' down and have fun. And Damon would be there, eager to drink and party whenever the chance presented itself. But the town was restricted now, off limits to any and all supernatural beings; Caroline was far out of reach; and Damon was…

With a sigh, Stefan pushed the door open wide and stepped into the Salvatore crypt, his mouth pressed in a firm line. He took a seat on the stone bench and held the bottle in his lap, looking the label over absently. It wasn't bourbon, which he was sure his brother would complain about, but it was alcohol and, currently, that was all that mattered.

He popped the cork with his thumb, watched the foam spill over and puddle on the dusty ground, and then raised the bottle up for a long drink. When he was done, he winced at the cheap flavor and licked his lips, wiping at his chin with his wrist. Checking the time on his watch, his brows hiked. "Well, nearly a new year, brother… First one I start as an ' _only child_.'" His mouth ticked faintly, humorlessly. "You know, it's funny… All these years, everything we went through, that we _did_ to each other… There were days I thought— I thought it would be _easier_ without you. Can you believe that? I was convinced that without you there to wreak havoc and invite danger into our lives, that things would just be simple and easy and… _good_." He scoffed, shaking his head. "Maybe that was just the excuse I used so I didn't have to look at my own part in it. So I didn't have to admit that… I was no better than you. That you were no worse than me…"

He licked his lips. "For a long time, I thought we were two sides of the same coin. But it wasn't good and bad, it was bad and worse. And the funny thing is, I wasn't sure which one I thought you were. Sometimes, you were worse. Sometimes, when you flipped your switch or when you were hell-bent on making me miserable, then I convinced myself you were so much worse. But if I look back on all of it, on everything we did, maybe it was always me. Maybe I was always the worst one…"

He half-smiled, shaking his head. "Doesn't really matter now, I guess. Not a lot does… 'Cause _you_ … You're gone. You _died_." His throat tightened and he had to pause, swallow down the burning emotion. "And I want… I want to be _angry_ with you. I want to _blame_ you somehow. Because that's— It's easier. It's easier to think that this is all on you. That what you did was reckless and that if you hadn't… If you'd just let me _go_ … Or if you'd gotten back faster. If you'd just come _back_ …" He sighed, rubbing a hand over his forehead, and closed his eyes. "But you didn't. And there's nothing I can do to change that. Nothing I can _say_ that will make anything better…

"Caroline's trying. She's always trying. And I love her for it, I do. I love her— her _hope_. Despite everything. She's optimistic and she wants so hard to believe that she just needs to find that one piece, to get that one witch, and it'll all come together. And maybe she's right, we've had more than our share of miracles over the years. So maybe we'll get this too. Or maybe not. I don't know. I don't...

"I look around and I wonder what it would be like if you were here. I wonder what I would say to you, what I would do differently. Elena… she thinks it's a waste of time. She tells me to stop encouraging Caroline, to tell her to grieve and move on. Ric's stopped looking. He says there's nothing left to do but let go. I know he misses you. I know he wishes there was something he could do, but… His resources are dried up, no more leads to follow. And Elena's coping, I guess. She goes to school, she drinks, she parties, she… _avoids_." He sighed. "I'm not sure how much longer she'll last here… Too many bad memories, too many people she's lost… Caroline doesn't want to face it, doesn't want to lose Elena too, but… I don't know, maybe it'd be better for her to leave, to start over somewhere else. As much as I miss home, it's a magnet for misery, and maybe it's time to just… let it go."

He contemplated that for a few minutes, taking another long drag of his champagne. Sitting back a little, he cast his gaze around the crypt. The last minute of 2013 ticked away on his watch and he ground his teeth. "Happy New Year, brother…" In the distance, he could hear people counting down. "Wish you were here."

As cheers went up into the night, filled with excitement, Stefan put the champagne bottle down on the bench and stood to leave.

He'd just passed through the door when his phone buzzed in the pocket of his jacket. As he pulled it out, Caroline's beaming face greeted him. Half-smiling, he answered it. "Hey."

"Hey! Am I too late to wish you a Happy New Year and offer up an IOU for the kiss we should be sharing right now?"

He shook his head, walking down the dirt road, away from the crypt. "No. You're right on time…"

* * *

**EIGHT YEARS  
**

* * *

Damon's furrowed brow could be seen in the reflection of the shop glass as he stared down at the display cheerfully set up for passersby on the sidewalk. Bonnie was one store over, at a bakery, buying fresh bread for dinner that night.

Mina sat beside him, tuckered out from the walk, her head resting against Damon's leg. There was a heavy chill in the air; January left the roads icy while snow had been shoveled out of the way, packed against store walls or the street gutters. Damon rubbed his gloved hands together and blew hot air on them before tucking them back into the pockets of his winter jacket.

A bell rang nearby, signaling the opening of a door, and he knew, instinctively, it was her.

"They didn't have garlic bread, but they had French bread," she said as she walked closer.

He hummed, and leaned back from the window, turning toward her with a half-smile. "That'll work."

Bag in one hand, she reached for him with her other, and he folded their fingers together as he drew her against his side.

"What were you looking at?" she wondered, peeking around him.

"Myself. Do I have anything in my teeth?" He bared his teeth and leaned toward her.

Bonnie snorted, and covered his face with her hand, shoving him away playfully.

He grinned, and together they started down the sidewalk, with Bonnie telling him what she picked up for dessert. Damon glanced back over his shoulder, just once, at the jewelry store, and the engagement rings that seemed to glitter under the display lights.

* * *

**…**

* * *

"Carla's started calling her weird food names," Danny said, his feet up on the coffee table as he leaned back in the couch, balancing a coffee mug on his knee.

Damon made faces up at a giggling, drooling Sofia as he held her above his head, his arms outstretched. "Food names?"

"Yeah, like 'pumpkin' and 'muffin' and 'cupcake.'" He frowned. "I don't wanna call her that. I eat those things. It's _weird_."

Blinking, Damon looked over at him. "Then just call her something you don't like to eat, like… onion."

Danny snorted. "You think I should call my beautiful baby girl ' _onion_ '?"

"I think you should call her 'Sofia.' You're the one hung up on petnames."

"From the guy who used to call his girlfriend 'kumquat.'"

"Okay, that was different." He paused. "But I should start doing that again. Bonnie said she hated it, but she loved it..."

"You think it needs to be food-based? My pops used to call me 'bubba.'"

Damon brought Sofia down so he could pop a kiss on her forehead before he tucked her into the curve of his arm. "Maybe it'll just happen over time. Can't force a good nickname."

"Yeah, maybe." Danny nodded to him. "What'd your dad call you?"

"Most of the time? 'Disappointment.'" He shrugged. "We weren't close."

"And your mom?"

"Uh, she was fond of 'darling' or 'sweetheart.' Pretty basic."

Danny hummed, and dropped his gaze toward a yawning Sofia. "I'll find one. The _right_ one."

* * *

**…**

* * *

"Ready?" Damon's excitement was obvious. His hands were covering her eyes as he led her inside, as if she hadn't already seen _Mina's_ in various states of repair, or she hadn't heard, in detail, every idea he had for his new bar and grill.

Bonnie grinned. "Are _you?_ "

"There are still a few things we're working on. Only half the chairs have come in, there's no art up yet, and Danny already broke the dart board. Don't ask me how. He's a _menace_."

She laughed.

"So just keep that in mind when you—"

" _Damon_. I'm going to love it. I promise."

She heard him take a deep breath, and then his hands fell away from her eyes. Blinking, Bonnie's brows hiked as she looked around. " _Wow_."

The last time she'd been there, there had been a lot of work still left to do, but now… Now it looked so _real_. The tables were all set up; some regular square tables surrounded by four chairs while other, circular tables, were elevated, with two tall stools, and curved booths ran along the walls. There was a designated area for dancing, with a stage and mic set-up for karaoke or live bands. Another area had three pool tables lined up (they looked brand new, but she knew he and Danny fixed up some old tables to save money), and a would-be dart board that had Caution tape over it (she was sure that was from last year's Halloween decorations). The lamps were stylish, giving a nice glow to the room that fell in just the right medium between bright and dark. And the bar itself was beautiful, shiny with a finish across the wood. There were stools lined up in front of it, and behind, the shelves were dressed in colorful bottles in every shape and size.

"So?"

She did a spin to take it all in, and shook her head. "It's _perfect_."

He grinned at her, looking proud and excited.

Reaching for him, she wrapped her arms around his waist. "You have a _bar!"_

Laughing lightly, he hugged her back. "I do." He dropped a kiss on top of her head and then let her go. "Okay. Hungry?"

"Starving!"

"Good." He pointed to a lone table, dressed in a candle and a bowl of freshly-cut flowers, and grabbed a remote up to turn on the music that flowed from the speakers. "So…" He traded the remote for a menu from behind the bar and handed it to her. "Whatever you want, I'll make it myself."

" _Oooh_." Taking the menu, she unfolded it and took a look over everything. "You want to start with an appetizer?"

"I've heard good things about the calamari."

She chuckled. "I hope you're not quoting Brandon. He'll eat anything."

"He rated everything at the taste test a ten out of ten. Except the desserts. He gave them an _eleven_."

"Big help in narrowing down the menu then?"

Damon shrugged. "It helped. But it really came down to what Jin Sun thought he could comfortably make every night without going massively over budget. There were a few cuts just because of how long they take to make."

"Jin Sun's the new head cook, right?" She looked up from the menu. "You like him?"

Damon nodded. "He's been great. He's got a lot of experience."

"Good." Bonnie handed him the menu back. "Okay. I know what I want."

"Besides wine?"

She rolled her eyes. " _Yes_."

"All right!" He rubbed his hands together eagerly. "Hit me with it."

* * *

**…**

* * *

Bonnie stirred cream into her tea. "Hey, can I ask you something…?"

Naomi nodded. "Of course. What's on your mind?"

"Carla… and Sofia." She stared at her searchingly. "How does it _work_? You know? How is there life in the afterlife?"

Humming, Naomi placed her coffee cup down on the table they were sharing in their favorite cafe. "The first time I met Carla and Danny was… God, thirty, forty years ago. Maybe more."

Bonnie's eyes widened. "That long?"

She nodded. "See, everything loops. People die here, but… They come back. It's like, they repeat. When they first came here, they were married and Carla was pregnant with Sofia. They had a few good years and then Danny died in an accident at work and things just… _stopped_. Suddenly, Carla was younger, and her and Danny were just starting to date and Sofia was nowhere to be seen. And then some time passed, they got married, had Sofia, and they were that same, happy family they once were. One time, Carla died in a freak accident, and it all happened again. Rinse, repeat, I guess." She shrugged. "Everyone has their own loops. Death comes and they get to start over from the beginning. I guess Sofia was a part of their story when they died; she gets to come along in their afterlife too."

"What about the others? Did they all have children when they died?"

"They don't all arrive pregnant or with kids. Not that I've seen anyway. I have a theory that some of the children are babies that died in childbirth, but I don't know for sure…" She hummed thoughtfully. "Annette and Peter arrived here with a two-year-old Jasper. That was a little before you and Damon got here. I imagine the same will happen to them when one of them dies. The story restarts."

"So they're tied together, each family?"

"For most of them. There were… There have been some that are here for a while and then suddenly… I never see them again. I don't know what happened to them. I don't know if this is a pit-stop or the end of the line. Maybe they belonged elsewhere. Maybe God or _whoever_ decided this wasn't the place for them…"

"Is that what you think this is? God?"

Naomi smiled. "I don't know. I honestly have no idea how any of this happened." She paused then, and took a deep breath. "I lost Jasmine one year. It was… It happened so quickly. One second she was playing on the monkey bars, and the next…" Her eyes grew distant for a moment before she shook her head. "I hardly had a minute to realize what had happened before suddenly it was different. I was back home and they were years younger, toddlers again, and I knew… I knew I'd lost her and, whatever magic makes this place work, it gave them back to me."

Bonnie stared at her a long moment, and then reached out and laid her hand atop Naomi's. "Was that the only time…?"

"No, there was a time or two that I died and restarted things." She frowned. "I don't know why I remember and they don't. But I do, and I'm glad I do. I get to appreciate it that way. I know what it was like when we were alive, _really_ alive, and it wasn't anything like this. We have a good life here. I wouldn't change a thing about it."

Bonnie nodded. "Yeah. I know how that feels."

* * *

**…**

* * *

"Hey, look what I found…"

Damon looked up from the book in his lap and found a grinning Bonnie walking toward him, holding a familiar camera in her hand. "Where'd you find that?"

She shrugged. "On a shelf in my storage room." Sliding into his lap, she turned so her back was against his chest. "You know what we need more of?"

"Eye surgery? The flash on that thing could blind our neighbors."

Clucking her tongue, she rested her head back against his. " _Memories_. Smile!"

He smirked at the camera, but Bonnie was expecting that, so when he loosened up into a smile after the flash went off, she hit the button again to capture it.

* * *

**…**

* * *

"Did anybody read the book this week?" Bonnie wondered, topping off Naomi's glass of wine. "I didn't get a chance to, between work and dance class. I hardly had time to eat or sleep."

"I read half," Naomi offered. "Anybody else find they do a lot of their reading on the toilet? It's the only place I don't have someone needing my attention."

Carla laughed. "Speak for yourself. This one comes with me everywhere." She motioned to Sofia, sleeping in her car seat. "I can't remember the last time I read a book that wasn't about parenting or pregnancy."

"This one didn't have any babies in it, just a whole lot of sex and shooting people." Naomi waved the book and then tossed it toward the table. "Sex wasn't bad; a little vanilla, but I've read worse."

Bonnie snorted. "You're the one that talked us into reading that 50 Shades trilogy."

"For a _laugh_ ," Naomi defended, grinning.

"Uh-huh." Rolling her eyes lightly, she turned her book over and eyed the cover. "Who picked this one anyway?"

"I did. I like the author." Annette shrugged. "I stand by it. It wasn't as bad as last month's book. What was _that?_ "

"A classic," Bonnie defended.

"A _boring_ one." Naomi smiled at her teasingly. "Anyway, since only two of us got through any of it, I say we talk about something else."

"Did I tell you guys about the new pottery class I'm hosting?" Annette wondered. "There's singles and couples classes. It should be fun."

"Couples like _Ghost_ pottery?" Naomi asked with a snort.

Annette grinned and wiggled her eyebrows at her. "If that's what you want."

They laughed.

"Sign me up," Carla decided. "I need some couple time."

"Mmm, me too," Naomi agreed. "But I think we'll find something that won't ruin my nails."

"There's a benefit concert next month," Bonnie told her. "Tickets are by donation. Plenty of room to dance."

Naomi nodded. "I'll check it out. You'll be there?"

"Yup. Kayla and Lisa said they were going too."

"That could be fun," Annette said. "Which night of the week, though?"

"Saturday. I can email the details."

"Count us in."

"Group date," Carla cheered, raising her glass of water.

The rest of them raised their wine glasses in reply.

* * *

**…**

* * *

"Can you feel your hands? I can't feel my hands…" Bonnie, arm hooked through Damon's, raised her hands up to blow hot air against her palms.

Mina trotted ahead of them, sniffing everything in sight. "I told you to wear gloves," he said, shaking his head.

"It looked nice out, I didn't think it'd be this cold," she mumbled.

Rolling his eyes, he reached into his pocket and produced her favorite purple gloves.

Bonnie's eyes widened. " _How…?_ "

He shrugged, and handed the over. "I know you."

"Uh-huh." She rolled the fabric onto her chilly hands and then rubbed them together, still blowing hot air on them to get her stiff fingers to loosen up. Leaning over, she bumped her shoulder against his. "Thank you."

He smiled down at her. "You're welcome."

Mina gave a tug on the leash then, looking back impatiently at them as she spotted another dog down the sidewalk. Damon's gaze wandered toward the golden retriever and frowned. "I don't know. That one looks a little sketchy… We can do better. See, look, there's a nice, friendly pitbull over there." To Bonnie, he said, "We should cross the street."

Amused, she shook her head, but followed him across the road, where Mina excitedly yipped at the young pitbull puppy that barked back, eager to play with her.

* * *

**…**

* * *

The house was a mess; Bonnie was still picking up stray wrapping paper, streamers, and pieces of popped balloon as the clock hands passed two in the morning.

Damon caught her by the hips and turned her around, relieving the garbage bag from her hand. "I'll get the rest. You get ready for bed. You've got a birthday brunch with The Kid tomorrow."

Bonnie grunted, and then leaned back so she was resting against his chest. "How'd you pull this off anyway?"

"You were busy; it was easy to plan a surprise birthday party when you didn't even remember your birthday was coming up." He kissed the top of her head and gave her hip a squeeze. "Go. I'll put everything away and meet you in bed in a little bit."

Bonnie nodded on a yawn and pushed off him.

After a quick shower, she traded a towel in for her comfiest pajamas and rubbed lotion into her hands and arms as she crawled onto the bed. She'd arrived home from work to find her house filled with her closest friends, shouting 'Surprise!' at her as she walked through the door. Dinner, cake, presents, conversation and a whole lot of wine followed, well into the night. It was a good birthday, she had to admit. She was still a little buzzed and feeling good when Damon walked in, a towel around his own waist and his hair dripping water down his shoulders.

"Happy?" he asked her.

Sitting back against the headboard of their bed, she smiled, nodding. "I am."

"Good. Then… just one more thing." He reached into his sock drawer and produced a small box before walking back toward her and taking a seat on his side of the bed. "Happy Birthday, Bon."

Bonnie looked down at the box and then reached over to pluck it from his fingers. "You already got me something," she reminded him. A few somethings, actually.

"And I got you this too. Open it." He leaned over so they were shoulder to shoulder and watched as she pulled apart the wrapping paper and opened the lid. Inside was a homemade coupon book. Aloud, she read the writing inside, "This coupon is good for one full-body massage… Breakfast in bed… Naughty photoshoot…" She raised an eyebrow, her mouth turned up in a grin.

"Feel free to redeem them anytime. I hear they never expire."

She laughed, and looked up at him. "Thank you."

Humming, he pressed a kiss to her shoulder. "Love you."

Heart skipping, she reached a hand up and pressed it to his cheek. "Love you, too."

* * *

**…**

* * *

Bonnie's feet hurt, but she wouldn't trade the night for anything. Surrounded by her best friends, with Damon's arms around her waist, she danced to the music as the benefit concert raged on into the night. Lisa and Kayla were wrapped around each other, fingers twined as they danced in their own little world. Danny was dipping Carla rather dramatically not far away. Peter had Annette on his shoulders, their hands folded together. And Chris and Brandon were snuggled together, swaying to the beat.

Damon's chin rested on her shoulder, his face nuzzling her neck. She covered his hands and closed her eyes, letting the music fill her up and the weight and warmth of his body sink into hers. His nose grazed her ear before he kissed her neck, and she hoped they had more nights like this. Where work and responsibility faded and it was just them, lost in a sea of people.

Years ago, she could never let her guard down like this. Never be at peace. Always waiting for something to interrupt, for people to start dying. But it wasn't like that here. Here, they were free. And maybe they weren't technically alive, but it felt like it. She felt more alive here, with him, than she ever had before.

Maybe it was God or magic or something else entirely that made this whole thing possible, but whatever it was, she hoped it never stopped.

* * *

**…**

* * *

"This is you fault."

"I'm not the one who fed her the peas," Damon defended.

"Well, how was I supposed to know she didn't like peas? Why would Carla pack them for her if she didn't _like_ them!?"

Damon rolled his eyes. "She only eats the peas if you mix it with the carrots."

Pacing behind him, Bonnie tossed her hands up. "It's all mush, Damon. I hardly think she knows what's what."

"Oh, she knows!" His brows hiked. "I wouldn't be wearing peas like a bad Exorcist remake if she didn't know the difference."

Rubbing her temples, Bonnie muttered under her breath, "Carla's daughter is going to starve and she will never forgive me."

"She's not going to starve." He pursed his mouth. "We've still got a ton of…" He turned a few jars around to read the labels. "Summer vegetables and rice… That sounds good, huh, Sofia?"

She whined up at him, her trembling mouth covered in green and her eyes littered with tears.

"Okay, none of that. What about… butternut squash and chicken?"

Sofia started sniffling, her breathing picking up.

"No to the squash too, huh."

"Why don't we try some of the fruit ones? Like peaches?" Bonnies suggested, ringing her hands.

" _Yes!_ Fruit is great!" Damon snapped his fingers at her and then started digging around in the baby bag they'd been left. " _Aha!_ " He raised a small jar in triumph. "Peaches!" He unscrewed the top, dabbed a finger inside for a taste, and then shrugged. "Better than the peas," he decided, before scooping out a spoonful and airplaning it toward her.

Sofia eyed the spoon dubiously, but eventually let him land it in her mouth. She smacked her lips and rolled it on her tongue before smiling and waving her chubby little fists happily.

Bonnie sagged with relief.

"See," Damon said, grinning. "Easy."

As if to prove him wrong, Sofia scooped up some of the leftover pea mess on the table of her high chair and threw it at him, splattering the front of his shirt.

Damon grimaced.

Bonnie choked on a laugh. "Oh yeah. _Easy_."

* * *

**…**

* * *

There was a crowd collected in front of _Mina's_ , and a red ribbon strung across the front doors. Brandon was holding a bottle of champagne while Danny handed out glasses to Damon and Chris' closest friends.

"Well, this is it…" Damon looked out at the familiar faces, and the group waiting beyond. "The official opening day of Mina's. Can't say it didn't take longer than expected, or that we didn't spend a hell of a lot more money than we wanted to…"

They laughed.

" _But_ , I think it'll be worth it. So, thank you, to all of you, for being here to support us through this whole crazy plan. And just in case it blows up in our faces, thank you ahead of time, for letting us sleep on your couches."

"Here, here!" Danny called.

Brandon popped the cork on the champagne and started pouring it into the glasses.

"Ready?" Chris asked, holding up a pair of scissors.

Damon clapped his shoulder. "Ready as I'll ever be, brother."

With a couple snips, the ribbon fell open, and they each grabbed a door handle, swinging them open. "Welcome to Mina's!" Chris shouted, waving for those waiting to begin making their way inside.

"Told you the coupons would be a hit," Brandon said as he walked over to fill their glasses.

Chris grinned and leaned down to kiss him in thanks.

"Congratulations," Bonnie said, sidling up against Damon's side and hooking an arm around his waist. "You officially have a bar."

Looking inside as the hostess led various groups over to their tables while others made their way to the pool tables or the newly fixed dart board, Damon grinned. "Yeah, I do."

"So," Kayla said, as she walked over to them, hands holding onto the lapels of her leather jacket. "What are the chances I'll get free drinks…?"

Damon snorted, and reached out to wrap his other arm around her shoulders. "For you, Kid, you pay double."

" _Hey!_ "

* * *

**…**

* * *

"Okay, you're on a stranded island, you can only take two people with you..."

Bonnie snorted. "Why would I want to force somebody else to be stuck on this island with me?"

"Hush." His fingers stroked across her bare back, drawing random shapes. "Two people. Can be anybody. But you'll be stuck with them for, possibly, ever. Who do you take?"

"Who do I pick to share forced isolation with me…?" She hummed. "All my girl friend's have kids. Except Elena or Caroline… Caroline probably wouldn't be too bad. She'd get us rescued inside a week. She's organized enough, she'd set up some kind of elaborate bungalow house." She grinned. "Wait, do vampires exist in this scenario or are we all human? Because if she's a vampire, I'm her only source of food…"

"No vampires. All human."

"Hmmm." She readjusted her head on her pillow, pushing her hair back from her face. He was laying sideways on their bed, his head resting on her lower back. "Okay, you and Caroline."

He screwed up his mouth. "You're going to trap me on an island with Blondie?"

She rolled her eyes. "She'd be helpful."

"She'd never shut up. I would walk out into the ocean and sacrifice myself to the elements."

"You would _not_. You just want to be alone on this island with just me."

"I wouldn't be against it."

She smiled. "Well, I picked you, didn't I?"

"So if you were only allowed one person then… Me or Caroline?"

She turned her eyes toward him, her eyes soft. "You."

He bit his lip to hide his grin, but she saw it anyway.

"Besides, Caroline would end up rescuing us in the end."

Damon laughed. "Yeah, she probably would." His fingers smoothed down her back and he turned his head, pressing a kiss to her skin. "I'd pick you too."

"Yeah?"

"Even if we didn't have Blondie planning a rescue… Just me and you. I could handle that."

Bonnie smiled. "Yeah? You wouldn't throw yourself to the sharks after a few months?"

He snorted, and rolled over, crawling up the bed so they were shoulder to shoulder. "Nah. If we ever get tired of each other, I'd just build a little man cave somewhere."

Laughing, Bonnie turned onto her side and stared up at him, smiling. "Are you going to make a 'No Girls Allowed' sign too?"

"No Bon-Bon's past this point…" He leaned down and kissed her once, twice. "Rule is subject to change at any time…"

* * *

**…**

* * *

Danny looked up as Damon took a sharp turn, yanked a door open, and motioned him inside. Eyeing the name of the jewelry store, he grinned. "You better be buying me something nice. I've got expensive taste too. I want something that sparkles."

Rolling his eyes, Damon nodded his head toward the store. "Only the best for you."

Making his way inside, Danny took a look around, where each display was made of silver and glass, with white cushions propping up various pieces. The walls were dressed in photographs of overly excited couples showing off their rings or in the midst of proposing. "No guessing what they sell here, huh?"

"They have charm bracelets in the corner. I'll buy you one later. We'll get matching hearts." Damon made his way to a very specific display counter.

Danny snorted, following after him. "Lemme guess, you've been here before."

"Just a few times…"

"Damon! Good to see you again." A sales-lady in her late fifties walked toward them, perfectly coiffed black hair pulled up and out of her face. She smiled at him. "I see you've brought a friend this time too."

"Must not be pretty enough to be your fiancée, huh?"

"Danny, if I were marrying you, I'd use a ring pop."

Face filled with lighthearted mirth, Danny winked. "And I'd take it."

With a laugh, Damon shook his head, and then pointed downward, tapping the glass. "You mind, Indira?"

"Not at all." Taking out a key from a band around her wrist, Indira unlocked the counter and took out the base where a gold and diamond engagement ring rested. She placed the white pillow on the counter and then gently plucked the ring up to hand it to him.

Danny whistled as he looked it over, his brows hiked.

"You think she'll like it?" Damon wondered, looking uncharacteristically nervous.

"If you got down on one knee right now, _I'd_ marry you."

Damon snorted. "You'd marry me for a cheeseburger."

"Y'know, not for nothing, the ring's great and all, but Bonnie would probably marry you for a cheeseburger too. Unless you want to get fancy with that ring pop."

Mouth hitched up, Damon nodded. "Yeah… but she deserves better." He handed the ring back to Indira then.

"Not today?" she asked, placing it back in its cushion.

"No." Damon shook his head, watching as the ring passed back into the display case. "Soon though." Turning to Danny then, he offered, "Cheeseburger?"

Wiping a fake tear from his eye, Danny sniffled. "I thought you'd never ask."

"Shut up."

* * *

**…**

* * *

Bonnie was just finishing up the books for the night, the door already locked, the Closed sign turned, and the lights out, when she heard the shuffle of feet and a familiar whistle coming down the hallway. Pushing back from her desk, she smiled to herself and stepped out of her office, hanging onto the doorjamb by her hand. "Hey, what're you doing here?"

Damon grinned. "Chris picked up an early shift, so I thought I'd take you out for dinner."

Her eyes narrowed at him curiously. "Can we afford that?"

"Probably not," he admitted with a shrug. He jerked his head in a 'let's go' fashion and Bonnie waved a finger to ask him to wait.

Hurrying back to her desk, she closed up her books and put them away before grabbing up her bag. As she walked out of her office, she flipped the light switch, locked the door, and took his outstretched hand. Leaning into his side, she rested her head against his shoulder. "How was your day?"

"Good. Long. Yours?"

"Same."

"Tell me about it over drive-thru?"

She laughed. "Deal."

* * *

**…**

* * *

Since Damon was spending a lot more late nights at the bar, Bonnie found herself taking Mina out for her morning jog. Not particularly fond of jogging, she much preferred yoga or dancing, she found it a little hard to get into a routine at first. But they eventually hit their stride and with the snow long gone and Spring well on its way, she found it kind of nice to get out and meet the day.

Life had found its groove again. Damon had his bar, Bonnie had her shop, and they made sure to fit in time for each other wherever possible. It wasn't as easy as it had been before, with him working three or four late night shifts a week now, but he tried to schedule them around her book club or dance class nights, so she would be busy anyway.

Mina was still adjusting, but she seemed to pick up that it was Bonnie who would be taking her out in the mornings. She was learning their schedule and which days Damon would be able to take her out, which helped. Still, Bonnie could tell she missed Damon, so if she left the bedroom door open afterward their job so Mina could wake him up with slobbery kisses while she showered, she didn't see anything wrong with that.

* * *

**…**

* * *

"She's got your smile," Bonnie said, tickling Sofia's chin and smiling as she giggled cheerfully.

"Yeah, she does." Carla grinned. "She looks just like me as a baby."

Cradling Sofia in the crook of her arm, Bonnie watched as her chubby fingers wrapped around the long curls of Bonnie's hair. As long as she didn't pull it— _Ow_. She winced, and carefully untangled the baby's strong fingers from her hair, pulling it over to hang down the opposite shoulder. Grabbing a toy to distract her, she rattled it and watched as Sofia's eyes diverted to the shaker toy.

"Have you thought about it?" Carla wondered.

"About what?" She smiled widely as Sofia giggled, squirming and reaching for the toy.

"Kids. Starting a family."

Bonnie paused, and then glanced at her. "Uh. Yeah, sure, sometimes. We're pretty busy, so probably not now, but… I don't know. One day, probably. Maybe…" She frowned. "It's kind of… I don't know. It sounds great in theory and, so far, it's been great being a sort of aunt, but… Being a _mom_." She shook her head. "I don't know if I could do it."

"Of course you could." Carla waved a hand. "I'm not saying it's easy. It's _exhausting_. She's cute, but she's a rough sleeper and a fussy eater and my wardrobe has basically become just sweat pants and comfy shirts, but… I don't know. I know parenting isn't for everyone, and I totally support women who just don't think it's for them. They know what they want. But I also know how good it feels. Not so much the birthing part, that was _awful_. And the pregnancy was a whole lot of highs and lows. But I don't know, sometimes I look at her and I just think… what would I do without you in my life?" She shrugged, smiling softly. "I'm a sentimental mom, I guess."

"I get it. Objectively." Bonnie nodded. "And maybe someday I'll feel it. Just… not yet."

"Well, when you do… I will absolutely babysit."

"I'll hold you to that."

* * *

**…**

* * *

It was almost midnight and Bonnie was feeling it. After a late dance class and a busy day at work, she was ready to pass out. But she found herself driving to _Mina's_ first. Still dressed in her dance gear, her hair pulled up in a messy ponytail, she made her way inside the busy bar. It was karaoke night and the stage was filled with a warbling, drunk duo. She didn't pause to listen to their butchering version of 'Bohemian Rhapsody,' instead she made her way to the bar, where a familiar face was talking to the newest bartender.

Spotting her, Damon clapped the shoulder of his newest recruit and circled around the bar to meet her. "Hey," he said, reaching an arm out and around her waist to pull her in close. "What're you doing still up?" He kissed her forehead.

Bonnie sighed, resting her head on his chest. "Just missed you."

He hummed, rubbing a hand over her back. "Come on…" He untangled from her a little and led her into the back, where the cooks were putting together a few things. "Hungry?"

Bonnie shook her head. She'd already eaten dinner, mostly on the run, in between closing up the shop and on her way to the dance studio.

Damon led her into an office at the back, closing the door behind them and effectively shutting out all the noise from the rest of the bar. He took a seat in his desk chair and drew her into his lap.

Bonnie let her eyes fall closed, her head on his shoulder, and just soaked him in for a few minutes.

"You wanna talk about it?"

"Nope." She slid her hand down his side and hooked it in the fabric of his shirt. "Just hold me a little while?"

"For as long as you want." He wrapped his arms around her snugly, cuddling her close.

Some nights, she found she missed how nice it was to just come home and find him there. And he was, for half the week anyway, but with the bar still getting off the ground, he had a lot on his mind, and he often overstayed his shifts to make sure everything was running smoothly. She wasn't complaining, exactly. She was proud of him and all of the work he was putting into his bar. But every once in a while, she just wanted to go home and crawl into his lap and cuddle with him on the couch, only he wasn't there. So this would just have to do.

* * *

**…**

* * *

"Nice gloves," Bonnie commented as she took a seat on the stool to Naomi's left.

Naomi snorted. "I'm all for expanding our creative horizons, but these nails aren't cheap." She took a look around the pottery class and then returned her attention to Bonnie. "You recognize anyone?"

"Nope. Just Annette. You?"

"Same." She frowned. "Should we mingle?"

"Don't look so enthused."

With a shrug, she said plainly, "I have enough friends."

Bonnie laughed. "Yeah, me too."

Annette called for their attention then.

"Wine and gossip at your place after?" Naomi wondered.

" _Deal_."

* * *

**…**

* * *

"Can I see your ID?"

Kayla rolled her eyes up at him. "Ha, ha, real funny."

"Do your parents know you're here, young lady?" Damon teased, handing her a bottle of her favorite beer.

"You're a riot." She unscrewed the top and took a long drag, licking her lips clean. "So? How's business?"

" _Booming_."

She took a look around and then raised an eyebrow back at him. "Seriously?"

He shrugged. "It's Tuesday. Plus, we're in between crowds. You just missed lunch and you're too early for dinner." Pulling the towel down from his shoulder, he wiped the bar down. "Hungry?"

"I'm good." She perked up. "I'm up for a game of darts though."

"Sure." Tossing the rag down, he circled the bar. "Loser takes my dog for a walk."

Kayla snorted. "Confident much?"

" _Very_." He grinned, following her up to the games area. "So, how've you been? Haven't seen you around lately."

"School's been keeping me busy. I'm taking summer classes too. More I do now, quicker I'll be done."

He hummed, handed her a few darts, and leaned back against an empty pool table. "Then what?"

Kayla shrugged. "I don't know. Find work somewhere, I guess."

"Your enthusiasm is _overwhelming_."

She rolled her eyes. "I just never thought I'd be stuck around here for the rest of my life."

"What's so bad about here?"

"Don't you ever get bored _?_ "

"Sure." He shrugged. "Sometimes that's a good thing."

" _How?_ "

"Before I lived here, I would've given my left arm for a boring day…" He turned his eyes off, thoughtfully. "You get used to living in chaos, learn to expect it, but… There's another part of you that's just waiting for things to slow down, give you a minute to breathe. And you grow to crave days like that, when there's nothing to interrupt." He licked his lips. "I don't know. I think about what it was like and, yeah, it could be exhilarating, but it was also exhausting. I like it better here, without all the pain and suffering and fear. Plus, I get to sleep in on the weekends, so… _bonus_."

Kayla peered at him, her lips pursed. "Is that why you came here? To get away from all of it?"

"I don't think that was the intention, but it's the result, and I wouldn't want it any other way."

She hummed. "So you think I should just be happy?"

"Nobody can tell how to feel, Kid. If you want your life to be more exciting, make it that way. Get out there, do something, have fun, push your limits. Just, y'know, know when you've pushed too far."

She cocked her head curiously. "How will I know that?"

"You'll probably figure it out when it's too late." He half-grinned. "So learn from your mistakes the first time."

Nodding, she tossed him a dart. "Good talk, Old Man."

Damon rolled his eyes, stood from the pool table, and tossed the dart without looking. At Kayla's frown, he knew it landed dead center. "So what time can you pick Mina up for that walk…?"

* * *

**…**

* * *

Bonnie woke to a tickling sensation on her neck. Her eyes blinked open, squinting at the clock on bedside table, and she inhaled deeply. _3 am_. She grunted, and turned her head.

Damon kissed down her shoulder, shuffling her shirt up her body.

"It's late," she murmured.

"Mmhmm. You want me to stop?" He paused, mouth hovering against her.

She considered it for a moment, and then shook her head and rolled onto her back.

Damon grinned. He pulled her shirt higher and she lifted herself up, raising her arms so he could sweep it off completely. "Missed you." The words were muffled against her skin as he kissed down her front, tucking his fingers into the edges of her underwear and giving them a tug.

Bonnie took a deep breath and woke herself up a little more. She reached for him, pulling at his shirt. He sat back on his knees and stripped it off, tossing it to the floor, and she pushed her underwear down her hips. It caught on her knees and he drew it down her legs the rest of the way, kissing her thighs as he opened them.

Smiling, she sunk back against her pillows and watched his descent, until his mouth was buried against her and she reached for him, nails biting into his shoulder. It was late and she was tired, but if this was how he wanted to make up for lost time, she wasn't complaining.

* * *

**…**

* * *

"You've got all the emergency numbers, right?" Carla dug around in her purse to double check she had everything and then bent to kiss Sofia's cheek as she sat in one of her bouncy chairs.

"I think I can remember how to dial 911." Damon flashed a smirk at her, sinking back against the couch.

Carla frowned at him. " _Seriously?_ "

"Just go enjoy date night, we'll be fine. We're gonna hang out here, watch some creepy looking cartoon dinosaurs sing and dance." He shrugged. "Bedtime's in a half hour, I'll get her settled and then invite a hot dance instructor over to make out on your couch."

She rolled her eyes. "What time is Bonnie off?"

"'Bout an hour. She said she'd meet me here." He waved at her. "Go already. Danny's been sitting in the car for twenty minutes. He's been talking up date night all week. Put him out of his misery, for all our sakes."

With a laugh, she sighed. "Okay. I'm going. _Thank you!_ "

"Welcome," he called after her. As the door finally closed, and stayed closed, he turned to Sofia. "What do you say we trade these cartoon dragons in for some explicit violence and unnecessary blood spillage?"

Sofia blinked up at him, and then giggled cheerfully.

"All right, fine. Dinosaurs it is. But just between me and you, the orange one is definitely hiding something."

She blew spit bubbles at him, and he considered that her unequivocal support on his theory.

* * *

**…**

* * *

Naomi was smirking at him.

Damon took a quick look around the bar and then frowned at her. "What? Is there something on my face?"

She rolled her eyes. "Nope. Just as annoyingly attractive as ever."

He grinned. "Was that a compliment? I'm flattered. But also taken. So don't get any ideas."

With a snort, she leaned forward on her stool. "Word has it you might just be more taken than usual… So? When are you going to pop the question?"

Damon shushed her, waving his hands. "Whoa, keep it down. Bonnie is in the building!"

"She's in the bathroom." Naomi waved a hand dismissively. "Besides, she's already had three cocktails. Girls' night means she forgets her limit. She'll be on the stage any minute now, singing every Alicia Keys song you've got on the list."

"Still." He took a look around, and then leaned forward, resting his arms on the bar. "Who told?"

She raised an eyebrow. "Danny doesn't keep anything from Carla, and Carla lasted all of five minutes before she told us. What I'm wondering is why it's taking so long… Second thoughts?"

"Hardly," he scoffed. "I've just been saving up for the ring. I didn't want to take the money out of the loan, so I've been putting my tips away and a little bit of my wages."

"And?"

" _And_ I'm the official owner of a very expensive engagement ring, which is currently being sized to fit Bonnie's tiny little finger."

Naomi grinned widely. "Good for you."

"Yeah?" He eyed her curiously. "You really think so?"

"Yeah, I do." Her expression softened. "You two are good for reach other; you balance each other out." She reached up then, and tapped his chin with her finger. "She's my best friend, and you know me, so I hardly think I need to give you the 'if you hurt her' speech, but… Just so you know… You're my friend too. And I want the best for both of you."

He half-grinned. "Got a little soft spot for me, huh? Knew I'd wear you down."

She snorted, and stood from her seat, taking up her drink as she went. Naomi raised her cocktail to him in cheers before she made her way over to the stage. His eyes followed, moving to where Bonnie stood at the center, swaying under the lights, smiling happily as she sang. She looked up, catching his gaze, and winked back as he blew her a kiss.

 _[I know some people search the world](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rywUS-ohqeE) _  
_[To find something like what we have](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rywUS-ohqeE) _  
_[I know people will try, try to divide, something so real](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rywUS-ohqeE) _  
_[So till the end of time I'm telling you there ain't no one](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rywUS-ohqeE) _  
_[No one, no one](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rywUS-ohqeE) _  
_[Can get in the way of what I'm feeling](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rywUS-ohqeE)_  
_[No one, no one, no one](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rywUS-ohqeE)_  
_[Can get in the way of what I feel for you](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rywUS-ohqeE)_

* * *

**…**

* * *

Bonnie let out a sigh of relief as she stepped through the front door, happy to be home. She kicked her shoes off and shrugged her jacket down her arms before petting Mina's head as she hurried over for some attention, tail wagging. The door closed behind her with a click after her foot gave it a nudge. She'd just made it to the kitchen island, dropping her purse on top of it, when Damon came skidding out of the hallway, wearing an open suit jacket, an unbuttoned dress shirt, and a loose tie around his neck, his eyes wide.

"Hey! You're home early."

"Yeah, hey." Her head tipped, brows furrowed. "I thought you had a late shift at the bar…" She frowned when his eyes nervously darted around the room, and then followed his gaze, suddenly realizing that the floor was dressed in flower petals and a bottle of champagne was chilling in a bucket of ice. "Did I forget an anniversary or something?"

"Or something," he mumbled under his breath.

She looked back at him. "You're wearing a tie… and a suit… You don't like suits."

"But _you_ like me in a suit," he pointed out, half-grinning. He patted the chest pocket of his jacket and then walked toward her. "Okay. This wasn't… I had a little more prep planned here."

Bonnie shook her head slowly. "I don't understand…"

"You remember when we first got here and we were _miserable_ but trying to cope? And some days were good and others were bad, but… we had each other. Even when we didn't particularly like each other, I knew you were there. I knew I had you. And it got me through the worst of it."

He reached for her hands, and stroked the tops with his thumbs. "It seems strange now, to think about how much I just wanted to go home. Because now… Now I can't imagine being anywhere else. I can't imagine anywhere else being home. And a big part of that is you. Even before we started this, having you here made everything better. You didn't let me wallow or fall apart, and when I tried to, you kicked my ass into figuring myself out. And when I did, you supported me…

"You're my best friend, Bonnie. First and foremost, beyond anything else, you are the best friend I've ever had. I don't even know who I'd be if I didn't know you, but I doubt it'd be anyone I'd be proud of today. And that's what makes this a hundred times easier…"

He gave her hands a little shake and grinned. "I know we're not technically alive, and maybe we'll just loop around and do this all over again, but if I'm going to be stuck here forever, there's nobody else I'd rather be stuck with. _So_ …"

He sunk down to one knee, and Bonnie's breath caught, her heart thudding in her chest.

"Bonnie Bennett… _I love you_. I love you when you're happy and when you're sad and when you're grumpy and angry and when you kick me in your sleep. I love that the only things you know how to cook are recipes your Grams taught you. That you smell like beeswax on Sundays. That you still jump at horror movies even though we lived a real life version for _years_. I love that you worry about me and care about me and even that you nag me, because I know you're only doing it _because_ you love me and worry about me and _care_ about me.

"I love you more every day. I love knowing you'll be there when I go to sleep and when I wake up and for every moment in between. Because when I'm at work, I miss you, and when I'm at home, I forget anything but you and me even _exists_. And it doesn't feel consuming like it once did. It doesn't tear me up inside or burn every nerve until I'm desperate for relief. Loving you, and being loved _by_ you, is the best I've felt in a _very_ long time. And if you'll do me the honor of being my wife, I'd like to make sure we both feel that way, for the rest of our long afterlife.

"So what do you say…?" He stared at her searchingly and gave a breathless laugh. "Marry me?"

Bonnie swallowed tightly, her eyes stinging with tears, and then she let out a laugh, smiling widely, and sunk down to her knees in front of him. She unfurled one hand from his and wrapped it around his neck, drawing him in until their foreheads met. Lips brushing his, she whispered, " _Yes_."

"Yes?" he repeated, like he didn't quite believe it.

And she laughed, nodding. "Yeah. _Yes!_ Of course!"

Laughing joyfully, he wrapped his arms around her waist and yanked her into a hug, squeezing her tight. Humor warm in his voice, he said, a little roughly, "I'm gonna be Mister Bonnie Bennett."

Bonnie bit her lip as she smiled, and then leaned back to find his mouth for a kiss. "I love you," she mumbled against his mouth. "I love you so much."

"I hope so. You're about to be stuck with me for eternity."

She shook her head. "I don't need a ring for that."

"Which reminds me…" He reached into his front pocket then, and produced a stunning diamond ring. "I think this is yours."

Her eyes widened as she stared down at it. "I… It's beautiful."

He smiled back at her proudly, and took up her hand, sliding the ring down her finger. "There." He turned her hand over and pressed a kiss to her palm, before she slid it up to cup his cheek. "Happy?"

"Very." She stroked her fingers over his face, across the arch of his eye brow and down his cheek. "You?"

He hummed, his eyes bright and his smile wide. " _Ecstatic_."

And she believed him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **polyvore** : [engagement ring](http://www.polyvore.com/engagement_ring_eternity/set?id=190878589)  
>  **music** : '[no one - alicia keys](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rywUS-ohqeE)'
> 
> told you someone would bend the knee. finally, a proposal! and the next chapter is all wedding prep, the wedding, and some relationship drama. oops. clearly it gets resolved, since there's gonna be a wedding, but what's love without a little trouble to be worked through? on the bright side, the wait was much shorter this time around. and should be shorter next time. i'm getting some time off starting week after next, so i should be able to get the next chapter up pretty soon. :)
> 
> also, i just need to point out how much i love writing danny, because i actually wrote the damon brings danny to the jewelry store scene before anything else. i just needed to get that written, because it was so effing adorable in my head. their friendship is #goals. i love them. and i hope you enjoyed that particular scene!
> 
> thanks so much for reading! please try to leave a review, if you can!
> 
> \- **lee | fina**


	14. mistakes

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **faceclaim** : [C A S T](http://sarcasticfina.tumblr.com/eternity)  
>  **music** : [fade into you - mazzy star](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oJ9E0mC9Cwk)
> 
>  
> 
> **chapter rating** : teen/pg-13  
>  **word count** : 13,900

* * *

**MYSTIC FALLS – 2014  
**

* * *

A panicked, out of breath Caroline hunched down behind a building, her hands pressed back against the cold brick wall. She turned to Lucy. "I thought you said they were _friendly!_ "

"Nobody I talked to said they were _un_ friendly." She inched toward the edge of the wall and peeked around, rearing back as bullets sprayed the ground at her feet.

Caroline stared at the cement, her nose twitching. "Those bullets are laced with vervain."

Lucy looked back at her. "If I say run—"

"I'm not leaving you here!"

She rolled her eyes. "Like I was saying… When I tell you to run, you get _both_ of us the hell out of here."

Caroline nodded, her face set seriously.

"Good. Now let's see if they'll bargain…"

"Bargain? They just tried to cut my heart out." She pointed to the tear in her shirt and the blood that soaked through it. "Here's a bargain. They stop trying to kill me and I won't shove Henchman #1's head up Henchman #2's _ass!_ "

"We'll try that tactic later. First, we need to find out if they're willing to talk."

"They're _shooting_ at us."

"They're shooting at _you_ … I'm a witch. There's a bond there."

"Really?" Caroline scoffed. "Because last I checked, you were also strapped down to a table and they were chanting to bind your powers."

"A lot of witches don't think we should help vampires…" She shrugged. "They must've taken your presence here personally."

"Yeah, well, I take them trying to _kill_ me personally."

"Take it up with your shrink. We have work to do." Standing, Lucy took a deep breath.

"Wait, Lucy, seriously, you need to think about this. You could get seriously hurt if you—"

She stepped out past the edge of the wall.

Caroline stood abruptly, and reached for Lucy's arm, ready to sweep her out of there at any moment. She just hoped she wouldn't have to. Because these people could be the only thing standing between her and her home.

* * *

**…**

* * *

"What the hell kind of deal did you strike? This could be a wild goose chase for all we know."

Lucy shrugged, sitting on the end of her hotel bed. "Look, they apologized for the overzealous near-death antics."

"Overzealous? They were _literally_ carving my chest open!"

"And they're sorry about that… kind of. Anyway, they said if we find everything on the list, they'll bring down the anti-magic border. So?" She grinned up at her. "Ball's in your court, Princess. Are we going on a treasure hunt or am I dropping you off back home?"

Chewing her lip indecisively, Caroline nodded. "School can wait a little longer." She put her hands to her hips and started to pace. "We have some magical _whatever_ to find."

"That's what I like to hear. _Now_!" Lucy yawned. "Nap first, then we hit the road."

With a sigh, Caroline made her way over to her own bed. "Fine."

* * *

**…  
**

* * *

"You're _where?_ "

Caroline winced. "Some podunk town in West Texas. I know I said I'd be back this weekend at the latest, but things have just been really hectic. We thought we found this strange herb in one store, but then it turned out to be the wrong herb, or a fake, we're not really sure." She waved a hand around dismissively. "Anyway, the point is, we have a lead on it somewhere else."

"Caroline…" Stefan sighed. "Look, I'm not telling you to come home. If this is something you need to do, then do it. But have you considered what all of this stuff might be used for? There must be a reason they're sending you and Lucy to find it rather than doing it themselves…"

Walking from one end of the room to the other, she nodded. "I know, and Lucy's been doing some research about that. We haven't figured it out yet, but we will. If it's something really awful, I promise you, we won't give it to them. But, if it's not, then I don't see the harm. You know? Maybe they have a good reason for not doing it themselves, or maybe they're lazy." She laughed. "I don't know. I just know that they said they could bring down the barrier, and all it takes is a little more driving and research. Two things I've gotten very good at."

He hummed. "I just want you to be careful. These people already tried to hurt you once."

Caroline rubbed her fingers over her heart; there were tiny little scars that hadn't healed, and she'd often wondered if it was from the blade or what was on the blade. But the fact that something could leave a permanent mark scared her. _A lot_. "I know, and I will be. We're far away from them now anyway. We can worry about it when we have to go back." She licked her lips. "I miss you."

"I miss you too," he murmured. "Any chance something on that list might be out my way?"

She smiled. "I hope so."

"Maybe I could come and meet you… Help you and Lucy track down some of those things? It's not like I'm doing much here anyway. Faster we get the list done, sooner we can get the barrier down and you can come home."

"I… _Yeah_. If you want. Absolutely!" Her heart lurched in her chest. "I'll talk to Lucy, see where we're headed next and then let you know. We can try and meet in the middle maybe."

"Okay. Text me what's left of the list too; I'll put some feelers out with a few people I know."

"I will." She looked up as the door swung open and Lucy entered. "She just got in, I'll talk to her now."

"All right. Call me after. I love you."

"Love you too." After hanging up her phone, Caroline turned to Lucy with a hopeful smile.

Lucy eyed her suspiciously. "What?"

"So I'm not complaining about our badass duo. Girl power all the way. But Stefan's offered to help out. He said he'd join us on the search and talk to a few people to see if any of them know where a few things might be."

Lucy considered it before nodding slowly. "Sure. We need all the help we can get." She tossed her bag to the bed. "Just, separate rooms from now on. No way I'm sharing with you two lovebirds."

Caroline laughed. "Deal."

* * *

**EIGHT AND A HALF YEARS**

* * *

Bonnie admired her engagement ring, glinting in the early morning sunlight. She had a blanket wrapped around her shoulders, her knees drawn up to her chest, and a mug of coffee cooling on the arm of her chair as she sat on the back deck, breathing in the fresh morning air. It was a beautiful ring, it really was. But more than that, she just kept trying to picture him as he picked it out. As he looked at and discarded all the others, deciding they weren't _her_ enough.

She was getting married. The concept seemed almost too huge to think about. It wasn't like she'd never considered the possibility that one day she would have a husband and be someone's wife. But as things in Mystic Falls had slowly but surely gotten worse, she'd begun to shelve any ideas of normal or good, and give herself up to the idea that life would always be a train wreck of chaos and stress and loss.

It was amazing what a little time and distance could do. She would never forget what happened in Mystic Falls. It shaped who she was today. It shaped how she felt about life and herself and her future. But now that she knew the end of the story, she felt good about it all. Maybe life before the afterlife was its own kind of penance. She'd paid her dues and this was her reward. A beautiful home, a good man, amazing friends, and a wonderful job. All things she would've wanted for herself prior to the supernatural outbreak. Only this was different. It was… She didn't want to say better, because it was missing a few key players. But there was something beautiful about it. Something soothing about knowing everything that had happened and everything they'd gone through wouldn't reoccur here. Because it couldn't. there were no supernatural forces here. Only regular human beings doing regular human things.

Like getting married.

She bit her lip, and stared down at the sparkly ring on her finger.

Bonnie Salvatore…

Bonnie _Bennett-_ Salvatore…

She grinned.

Hyphens were good.

* * *

**…  
**

* * *

Bonnie had barely reached the table they were all sharing for lunch before Carla let out an excited noise.

"Let me see, let me see!" Carla took up Bonnie's hand, raising it up for her, Annette, Naomi and Kayla to see. "Oh my _God!_ Look at that thing."

"Stop." Bonnie laughed. "It is beautiful though, isn't it?"

"It is. But look at _you_ …" Naomi grinned. "You're _glowing_."

"I'm happy." She shrugged, and took a seat at the table. "I don't know. I wasn't expecting it, but as soon as he asked, it was like there was no other answer but yes."

Kayla snorted. " _Duh_. You two have been together for ages. It's about time he put a ring on it."

Bonnie smiled. "Well, he did. And I can't stop staring at it."

"Me either. It's hypnotic." Carla shook her head. "So? When do we get to start planning things? There's so much to do! Bachelorette party, location, decorations, bridal party, the _dress!_ " She ticked each off on her hand. "Who's going to walk you down the aisle? Has Damon picked his best man yet? What about a ring bearer? Do you think Sofia will be too young? That reminds me, how long are you planning for the engagement to last?"

Bonnie's brows hiked. "Whoa, slow down. I'm still not over the general _idea_. I haven't started planning any of it."

"That's what you've got us for. We'll help you get it all sorted out," Annette assured.

Carla dug a color coded binder out from her bag and placed it on the table. "I used one just like this for my wedding. You helped me put it all together, so now it's my turn to do the same for you."

Taking a deep breath, she nodded. "Okay, well, where do we start?"

The ladies each looked at each other and then back to her. " _Date_."

"So, something small and intimate, we were thinking the backyard, which means probably a spring or summer wedding."

"So next year?" Carla perked up. "That's _plenty_ of time!"

"It also means we don't have to worry about booking a venue." Naomi sipped at her glass of water. "Especially if we have the after-party at your place, or even Mina's."

"Mina's would be _great!_ " Carla agreed, nodding. "There's plenty of space for everyone to sit and there's a stage for a band and an area to dance in. Plus, it cuts the catering cost down if Damon just hires his own people to do it."

Bonnie sat back and just listened as her friends eagerly talked about everything that needed to be done. Meanwhile, she smiled to herself. Life was looking pretty amazing.

* * *

**…  
**

* * *

Damon took a walk through _Mina's_ , checking in on a few familiar faces to make sure service was up to par and everyone was happy. He made his way toward the bar, where a lone man stood, holding a beer and peering around, as if in search of someone.

"Bartender skip out on you?" Damon asked, circling around to stand on the other end of the bar. "What do you need?"

"No, no. I— I was actually looking for one of the managers…"

Damon's brow furrowed. "You're looking at him. Something go wrong with an order?"

" _Oh!_ You must be Damon."

He cocked his head. "And you must be a stranger that I do not know but somehow knows me…"

"Sorry! I'm not explaining this right. Uh, I'm Mak. I met the other manager – Chris? – the other night. He was telling me about how you two opened this place. Anyway, there was a mix-up with my dinner and he offered to comp me another meal. I dropped by with a few friends, so I thought I'd see if the offer still stood."

"Ah. Well, Chris isn't on until tonight. He's on evenings for the next couple days. What mix-up was there with your meal?"

"I just ordered no shrimp; I have an allergy. It was fine. He replaced the meal, but still wanted to make it up. The food was great. No harm, no foul."

Damon nodded. "Good, well, if Chris offered a free meal, I'm happy to comp it for you." He motioned a thumb behind him, toward the doors leading into the kitchen.

"Nah, it's fine. We're about to head out anyway. Thanks, though. My buddies and I were glad to hear this place reopened. We were seriously lacking in a good hang out spot after the last one closed down." He grinned, knocked his knuckles on the bar, and then took a step back. "Nice meeting you."

"Yeah, you too." Damon stared after him as he left, frowning thoughtfully. And then a crowd came in through the door, looking for a table and three piping hot baskets of wings, and his attention was fully diverted.

* * *

**…  
**

* * *

Bonnie's feet rested in Damon's lap while he rubbed them, and she ran down a checklist of everything she had planned for that week. "Do we need to go grocery shopping? I feel like we haven't made one big trip in a while. Just a whole bunch of little ones."

"We've been busy." He shrugged. "I'm free Saturday, if you wanna go then. If we go in the morning, we can take Mina to the park in the afternoon, have a picnic… How's that sound?"

She folded her paper down to see him and smiled. "I'd like that." Pulling her feet from his lap, she tossed her list over to the coffee table and pushed herself up, crawling across the couch and straddling his lap. She hooked her arms around his neck and leaned back a little. "You know what else we haven't done in a while…?"

"I haven't had the boys over for a jam session in the garage in _ages_. Our neighbor is probably in a nice, blissful state of relief right now." His eyes narrowed. "I should disturb it."

"Damon." She rolled her eyes. "No."

"What? It would be good for Danny. He's been on daddy duty non-stop all month. Between Sofia and work, we hardly get to hang out."

"So take him out to play pool or darts or literally _anything_ except playing garage band."

"That doesn't sound half as fun." He ran his hands up and down her back soothingly. "But I _suppose_ we could find something… Anyway, what were you going to say?"

She raised an eyebrow at him, and then reached down to strip her top off.

Damon smirked, and plucked at the strap of her bra over her shoulder. "I thought we weren't doing this on the couch anymore?"

"Feel free to carry me to our room then."

He hummed, glancing from her to the hallway, and then shrugged. "Too far." He buried his mouth against her neck and turned them sideways so she was on her back beneath him.

* * *

**…  
**

* * *

"I can't believe we broke the couch..." Bonnie dug around in her purse as she walked around the furniture store.

"I can," Danny piped up, tossing a piece of caramel popcorn in the air for Damon to catch in his mouth.

Bonnie rolled her eyes. "Why are you here?"

"You interrupted bro time." He shrugged. "It was either come with or go home. And Carla told me she wanted an hour to herself. Sofia's spending the day with Aunty Naomi, so here I am." He handed the popcorn bag to Damon, who tossed him his own kernel, and he had to lunge to catch.

"I feel like I'm shopping with a couple of frat boys," she muttered under her breath.

"I'm good with whatever, just as long as it's not a sectional," Damon decided.

Her brow furrowed. "What's wrong with a sectional?"

"I don't know. We're just not sectional people."

Bonnie tossed her hands up. "What are _'sectional people_ '?"

"The type of people that own sectionals, Bon. Keep up."

Bonnie was about 0.5 seconds away from leaving them there when Danny threw a piece of popcorn at the side of Damon's head. "So, are we looking for just a couch or a whole set?" he wondered, turning to her. "'Cause I know a guy who could get you a good deal on a set. We have a few people who decorate the open houses at the condos we're building. Depending on what you're looking for, they might have something they want to get rid of."

"Really?" Bonnie turned her attention to him, an eyebrow arched. "For a good price?"

"Better than here. Might be a couple years old, but they're hardly used since they're all for show."

Slowing her pace down, she hooked an arm with his, and stole a handful of popcorn from the bag Damon was holding. Popping a piece in her mouth, she said, "Tell me more…"

* * *

**…  
**

* * *

"What kind of color scheme are we going for?" Carla asked, sipping on her iced tea.

"Well, what color did you want for bridesmaid dresses?" Bonnie used her fork to chip off a piece of her lemon tart and scooped it up into her mouth. "Have you talked to everyone about what they liked?"

"We narrowed it down to either a dark blue or a nice burgundy."

"Burgundy," she agreed, nodding. "We should set up a day for dress shopping. Even just for the bridesmaid dresses."

"Speaking of bridesmaids… Have you thought about who's going to be your Maid of Honor?"

Bonnie paused, and licked a crumb from her lip. "I have. I don't want to hurt anyone's feelings though…"

Carla grinned, and reached over to pat her hand. "I'm not going to be hurt. I know you'll probably pick Naomi and I totally support you. I'm just happy to be involved in the wedding, and I'll continue to help any way I can."

Blowing out a sigh of relief, Bonnie nodded. "Thank you, and yes, _please_ don't abandon me. I wouldn't even know where to start with all of this."

Carla watched her for a moment, and then seemed to consider something, before finally taking a breath. "We never really talk about your family… I mean, I know Damon's parents died a long time ago, and his brother too, I think. You've mentioned your Grams and your dad a few times, but… Nothing about your mom."

"Oh. Well…" She shifted in her seat. "She left when I was young. She… had her reasons, I guess. She came back later, when I was a teenager, and we tried to make it work, but… Too much time had passed and she'd started a new family. I didn't really feel like I fit in it."

"I'm sorry." Carla's face was soft and sincere. "Losing a parent in any capacity is rough, but having them leave seems like it'd be even worse."

"It felt that way. I struggled with it for a long time. I didn't understand it as a kid, why she left, what I might've done to make her leave, but… I don't know. I guess her coming back helped to bury some of those questions, but it produced a lot of other ones too. Like why it was so easy for her to start again. But, maybe that was just my view of it, right? Maybe it wasn't easy, and it just looked like it was because I was on the outside looking in…" She shook her head. "Anyway. I'm sure she's happy, wherever she is. And yes, it's kind of sad, thinking that she won't be here to see me on my wedding day, but it's okay. I have you guys."

"Yeah, you do." Carla patted her hand once more, and then sat back. "Okay. Guest list. This'll just be a rough draft, so don't worry too much. But, aside from our main group and their significant others, who else were you thinking of inviting."

"Oh! Some of the ladies from my dance class, and my old instructor, definitely…" While she listed off names, Carla wrote them all down. And Bonnie snuffed out that ache in her chest, full of disappointment, that not only would her parents and her Grams not be there, but neither would Caroline or Elena or Matt.

* * *

**…  
**

* * *

"Is it just me, or is it cooling down already?" Bonnie wondered, shuddering a little as a cool breeze blew by.

Damon turned his head down to see her, his fingers stroking along her shoulder as they laid in the hammock together. "It's you."

She scoffed, and pinched his side.

" _Hey_! Physical violence is _never_ the answer." He laughed.

Tucking her feet against his legs, she asked, "You don't feel that chill?"

"I do now. Your toes are like _icicles_."

She hugged an arm around him and snuggled closer. "I was promised a couple more weeks of summer."

He hummed and rubbed his hands everywhere he could reach to warm her up. Pressing a kiss to the top of her head, he mumbled against her hair, "Tell it to the magical seasons."

She laughed lightly. "Shut up."

* * *

**…  
**

* * *

Damon was early. He wasn't technically supposed to be at work yet. He had a good hour to spare. But Bonnie was at work, Kayla had taken Mina to the park, and his afternoon nap just wasn't happening. So, he figured going in early was the best option. Either Chris would take off early, or they would co-manage for an hour.

The place was packed, it usually was on Saturday, and he saw a lot of familiar faces as he made his way through. It felt good, owning and running a place that was quickly becoming a town staple. He'd loved his work before; it could be exhausting, but he enjoyed it all the same. This felt different though. This was _his_. He'd gutted and rebuilt the place with his own two hands, helped build the menu personally, and was now seeing the success of his labours. If his dad were alive, he'd probably be shocked to see his son could be this resourceful or successful. Matter of fact, Stefan probably would be too. But dear old dad wasn't around to see anything, and neither was his brother.

Damon greeted a few regulars as he made his way toward the bar. A band was setting up on stage, the pool tables were full, the busy din of chatter filled every available space, and the clink of glasses and silverware were welcomed sounds. He was just angling past someone on their way to the bathroom when he spotted Chris at the bar. A rag tossed over his shoulder, he was bent, elbows on the counter, laughing at something a patron was saying.

Damon paused when he saw who it was. _Mak_. The guy who'd been looking for Chris a while back, something about a mix-up with his dinner. Damon's head cocked as he stared at the two of them. They were leaned in close. Maybe to hear each other over the noise. He was ready to write it off as just that until he saw the hand. Mak's hand, gently resting on top of Chris', his fingers stroking toward Chris' wrist. And then alarm bells were going off in his head.

Coming to a complete stop, Damon leaned back against a wall and stared a little longer. Chris was grinning at Mak, his eyes solely focused on him and nothing else. It left a sour feeling in Damon's gut.

For as long as Damon had known Chris, his world revolved around Brandon. Their life together. He'd never really thought that whole 'storybook perfect' kind of thing existed. His prior experience with love and relationships had been mired in mistakes and drama. But Chris and Brandon were the quintessential perfect couple. They hardly fought and when they did, they figured it out. Chris was Brandon's, and Brandon was Chris', that was just how it had always been. But now Chris was looking at Mak, letting Mak touch him, flirt with him, grin at him and, for the first time, Damon wondered if the 'perfect couple' wasn't real at all. Deciding he wasn't ready to find out, he turned on his heel and left.

* * *

**…  
**

* * *

"Hey, are you okay? You seem distracted."

"Hm? Yeah, no, fine." Damon rubbed a hand over Bonnie's hip soothingly as they moved forward in the line. "What, uh, what movie are we going to again?"

"It's your pick…" Resting her head against his shoulder, she turned her gaze up toward the listings above the entrance to the theater. "Something action-packed and bloody, I assume."

He grimaced when he noticed two of the four listings were romance movies. "Yeah," he said, "Anything with guns and no romantic subplot, and I'm sold."

She smiled, amused. "Whatever you want. I'm just craving extra-buttery popcorn."

Damon nodded, his mind wandering soon after. He just couldn't stop thinking about what he saw. Had he blown it out of proportion, or was there something really going on? Should he talk to Chris about it? Or was it any of his business? Maybe it wasn't anything. Flirting happened. It could've been harmless. He flirted with Naomi all the time, but he didn't _mean_ it. Chris could be doing the same… Right?

"Damon?"

"Hm?" He turned back to her, only to find they had moved up the line and were now at the ticket counter. "Right. Sorry." He dug his wallet out and rattled off the title of the latest action movie.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Bonnie wondered as they made their way inside, toward the concession.

"Yeah. Just… long week." He pulled her in close and pressed a kiss to her temple. "I'll be fine."

"Okay." She hugged an arm around his waist. "If you're sure."

"I am."

* * *

**…  
**

* * *

The dressing room was a lot larger than Bonnie had expected it to be. Cushy arm chairs and bench seats were set up for their small group to sit on. In the center, there was a was a raised platform set up in front of a half-circle of mirrors to show off the many pros and cons of each dress. The room was obscenely white; from the carpet to the furniture to the walls, even the flowers tucked in clear vases were white. The only exceptions were the silver ice bucket and the green champagne bottle tucked inside of it. She wondered if the absence of color was to make the dresses pop or if it was just a representative of the whole affair. Maybe both.

"Who thought champagne would be a good idea?" Bonnie wondered, but topped off her and Naomi's glasses.

"Maybe drunk people buy more expensive dresses," Kayla suggested, sitting on the edge of a platform, her legs swinging. "What's the budget on this anyway? I'm buying my own dress, right?"

"We already talked to them up front. They're not showing us anything over a certain number. She's bringing in all the dresses that fit our budget." Bonnie shook her head. "Besides, last I checked you were still a _starving_ college student. I can cover your dress for you."

"You don't have to…" Kayla bit her lip. "I've got some cash saved. I can cover it."

"Keep saving it then. Consider it a gift, all right?"

She blew out a breath, but nodded. "Fine. But I'm helping with the wedding stuff then."

"Sure, you can help me with the invitations, put that art expertise of yours to work."

"Cool!" she agreed.

A door swung open then, and a sharply dressed woman stepped inside, pulling in a silver rack carrying dresses of various sizes and colors. "This is everything we have within your budget. I know the color isn't what you asked for, but it can be changed when we put the order in." She wheeled it toward them, the door closing behind her.

Kayla put her champagne down and hopped up to admire the dresses, rubbing the fabric of one between her fingers. "Are we thinking long or short?"

"It's really up to you guys." Bonnie shrugged. "You'll have to wear them."

She hummed, and plucked one off of the rack to get a better look at it. With a frown, she put it back, and then turned to Naomi. "Long or short?"

"I like my dresses long, but we can try a few different styles and see what we like."

The door opened again, admitting Carla and Annette.

"Sorry we're late!" Carla carried a car seat in, a sleeping Sofia tucked inside, and placed it on the floor next to a spare arm chair. She stripped her jacket off. "Have we tried anything on yet?"

"Not yet." Bonnie handed the champagne bottle to Annette, who happily poured herself a glass.

"Great!" Carla moved toward the dresses. "It'll be a summer wedding, so we don't want the fabric to be too thick. The ceremony's going to be in the backyard, plenty of shade under the trees. Mina's has air conditioning, right?"

Bonnie nodded.

"Good. Okay." She fingered through the dresses, plucking out a few at a time, and then turned to them. "All right. Who wants to try some on?"

Kayla shrugged. "I'll go first."

Looking her up and down, Carla nodded, and then handed her a few specific dresses, before motioning to the dressing room just off to the side. Turning back to the others, she asked, "Naomi, sleeves or no sleeves?"

"I like sleeves. Nothing too long, but I'm not as young as I used to be."

"Please," Bonnie scoffed. "You're gorgeous."

"Say it a little louder, so my ego can grow a few sizes."

She laughed.

Carla held up a few dresses. "Annette?"

Annette waved a finger in a 'just a minute' motion as she finished off her champagne, and then licked her lips clean. "All right. I'm ready."

"I like how you think." Naomi took the champagne bottle back and rested it in her lap. "I'm not driving," she defended to Bonnie, who simply snorted in reply.

* * *

**…  
**

* * *

"You've already worked four nights in a row. You sure you need a fifth?" Damon raised an eyebrow. "You trying to beat me out for best manager of the month?"

Chris snorted. "Do we have that now?"

He shrugged. "If we did, you'd win… You've been working a lot of late nights."

"Shouldn't you be thanking me?" Chris clapped his shoulder. "You're engaged. Don't you have a fiancée waiting for you at home?"

Damon grimaced and took a look around the bar. Mak wasn't there, and it was possible he was just being paranoid, but he found himself second-guessing everything Chris did now. "I don't mind working late tonight. You've got someone waiting at home for you, too."

"Damon, seriously. Take the night off. Consider it an early wedding gift."

"Does this mean you're not buying us a crockpot?"

Chris laughed, shaking his head. " _Go home_."

Sighing, he nodded. "All right. But if you need me…"

"I'll handle it." He pointed to the door. "Tell Bonnie I said 'you're welcome.'"

He rolled his eyes, feigned a smile, and then turned on his heel to leave.

Maybe this was a good thing. He and Bonnie hadn't had much time together lately. His fault, really. But tonight could change that. He could take her out for dinner or dancing or _something_. It felt like their usual date night had been scrapped entirely, overlooked in favor of work. He checked the time on his phone; it was early enough that he could pick her up from work.

He was just pulling his car door open when he spotted him. _Mak_. Crossing the parking lot toward the front door of _Mina's_. Damon's jaw ticked.

With a sigh, he climbed into his car, but he didn't move. He just sat there. Should he go back inside? See if Mak went straight to Chris? Keep an eye on things. Make sure everything stayed above board. Or maybe he should just ignore it. Chris was an adult. He could make his own choices. His own _mistakes_.

Turning the ignition, Damon pulled out of the parking lot. But he didn't head to Bonnie's shop, he just drove. With no particular destination in mind, he put as much space between him and everyone else as he possibly could. But there was only so far he could run.

* * *

**…  
**

* * *

"Damon?" Bonnie blinked the sleep from her eyes and turned over on the bed. She could just barely see him, lit up by the faint light coming in from the bathroom down the hall.

"What're you doing up? It's late," he said, his voice pitched low.

She shook her head, eyes falling to half-mast drowsily. "Waiting for you."

"It's 3 am, Bon. Go to sleep. We can talk tomorrow."

She inhaled deeply, and tracked him, or his shadow more like, as he moved around the room. "I just want you to know you can talk to me… you know? If there's something going on or… something." She frowned at her own lack of coherence. She was just so tired.

He sighed, and took a seat on the edge of the bed. "I know."

"I can just listen." She stared at his back. "Whatever it is that's bugging you…"

"We'll talk later, okay? Just… get some sleep."

Bonnie hummed, but still fought to stay awake. She reached for him, rubbing a hand over his back. "I love you."

Damon laid down on the bed beside her. He tugged her closer so they pressed together, and Bonnie sighed as the warmth of his body melted into her own. It felt good. Like something that had been missing had found itself again.

"When you're ready…" She rubbed her cheek against his chest. "I'll listen."

Damon didn't answer; he just kissed the top of her head. And Bonnie slipped away into sleep.

* * *

**…  
**

* * *

"There's a concert next week," Bonnie said, as she stood in the kitchen, chopping up a mushroom to add to her omelette. "Kayla said it's an Aerosmith cover band. It should be good."

"Cover band?" Damon glanced over at her, his mouth screwed up into a frown.

"Well, it's not like the real people can be here." She shrugged. "Anyway, I think it'll be fun. We haven't been to a concert in months." She stared at his side profile. "If I get the tickets, will you go?"

"Sure." He sipped at his coffee. "Can't be the worst thing I've ever listened to." He gave an exaggerated shudder as he said, "Stefan was _obsessed_ with Bon Jovi."

Bonnie grinned. "What's wrong with Bon Jovi?"

He narrowed his eyes at her, but a smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. As quickly as his good humor flared, however, it also died. "I gotta go. Early shift at the bar." He stood from the table and walked around the island, dropping a kiss on her cheek. "I'll see you later tonight."

"Yeah. Have a good day at work." She watched him gather his things before he moved to the door. "We're on for the concert though?"

"I'll bring my dancing shoes," he agreed, before breezing out the door.

Bonnie turned back to her omelette and added the last of the mushrooms. "I'll hold you to that…"

* * *

**…  
**

* * *

Bonnie hummed appreciatively, plucking a greasy, cheesy piece of pizza out from the box. "You have no idea how happy I am to be doing anything non-wedding related."

Kayla snorted, and lifted her beer in cheers. "Here, here."

Her shoulders slumped. "We really should design those invitations soon, though."

"We will. Eventually. But I vote we watch a movie and slack off a little longer."

Bonnie grinned. "Deal."

"Okay, so, comedy, horror, love story…?"

"Comedy. I need to laugh."

Kayla nodded, and skimmed through the movie selection on her TV. She glanced over at Bonnie curiously. "You okay? You seem a little down lately."

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just tired. All of this wedding stuff is a little overwhelming and… I don't know. Things just feel different."

"Different?"

"Yeah. It's just… It's hard to explain. I just feel like things are changing. And I knew they would. I mean, I'm getting married. Relationships change and life's taking me down a totally new path. But… I thought some things would stay the same. They're routines for a reason, right?"

Kayla looked over at her, brow furrowed.

Bonnie shook her head. "Sorry. Never mind. I'm just… Like I said, I'm tired and things feel like they're in a weird flux." She waved a hand. "Let's watch a movie. I need a distraction."

Biting her lip, Kayla looked unsure. "We could talk about it some more…"

Bonnie stared back at her a moment and then smiled faintly. "Later, okay?"

She nodded. "Okay."

* * *

**…  
**

* * *

"Do we need to talk about something?" Chris wondered, looking over at him as he topped his glass off with bourbon.

"You tell me. Do we?"

Chris raised an eyebrow. "I'm asking because that's your third glass… and it's not even noon."

"Now I see why you do the books. Your math is _superb_."

Sighing, he stared at him expectantly. "If you've got something to say…"

Damon looked back at him, and he considered it. Considering asking him _why_. Why cheat on Brandon? Why risk everything? Why, after all the hard work he put in, would he do that? But the words got lodged in his throat and wouldn't come out. Maybe he didn't want an answer. Maybe he was afraid of what it would be. Confirmation, perhaps. Or something worse. Something like proof. Proof that even the best of them couldn't be what their partner needed.

And if Chris couldn't be a good partner to Brandon, then what the hell kind of chance did he have of being one for Bonnie?

"Nah. I'm good." He knocked back the rest of his drink and dropped the glass down hard on the bar. "How're the figures this week?"

* * *

**…  
**

* * *

It was late, so late it physically hurt to be awake. But Damon was kissing her shoulder, an arm around her waist, and it felt _good_. It felt nice to be _wanted_.

For so long now, it felt like they hardly had any time for each other. Or, maybe more aptly, that he didn't have time for her. And she tried to be understanding. He was under a lot of stress with work, she got that. But it felt like more than that. Still, despite all of that, he was here now. They were together _now_.

So she turned over in his arms, blinked away the exhaustion clouding her eyes, and met the firm slant of his mouth enthusiastically. Pulling his shirt up and off, she pressed him back against the bed and straggled his lap. If this was the only chance they would have to be close, she would take it.

_For now._

* * *

**…  
**

* * *

Bonnie waited in the parking lot for nearly an hour, but he never showed. She debated going home herself before deciding 'screw it.' She might've missed a good chunk of the concert, but she wasn't going to let that ruin her night. After getting turned around a few times, she eventually found her seat next to Kayla and Lisa.

"Hey!" Kayla grinned up at her. "What took you so long? I was starting to think you bailed."

Bonnie forced a smile. "Something came up. Sorry I'm late." She took a seat beside her. "How are they?"

Kayla shrugged. "Haven't heard them yet. It's mostly just been the opening bands. They're decent enough."

The stage lit up then, and the cover band made their way out to the cheers of the crowd. Bonnie stood alongside Kayla and Lisa, clapping and whistling happily. At is turned out, they really were good. For the next two hours, she sang along to all of her favorite songs, even as her voice grew hoarse and her throat tired. And she vehemently ignored the very empty seat next to hers.

By the time she left the stadium, she had six missed called and eight apology texts, all of which amounted to 'sorry I suck, work came up.'

Instead of answering them, she went home, crawled into bed, and let herself linger in the high energy of the night. Eventually, she knew, it would wear off, and she would have to face reality again. Right now, she was happy to ignore that fact.

* * *

**…  
**

* * *

Damon made it up to her with chocolate and a whole lot of really nice wine. It wasn't perfect, she was still mad, but he really did seem genuinely sorry. Or maybe she was just desperate enough to hope he was. Something was going on with him, she knew that much. But every time she tried to ask him what it was, he told her it was nothing or he changed the subject.

Something would have to change, eventually. A levy would have to break. There was only so much one relationship could take. And if only one person was actively working to keep it together, what was even the point? She didn't want to believe that though. After all their time together, everything they'd done to build a life for themselves, a relationship and friendship together… What was worth throwing all that away for?

She asked herself that a lot, especially late at night, when the bed was noticeably one person short, but she didn't have an answer. Maybe because, _to her_ , there wasn't anything. And asking him would mean getting an answer she didn't really want to hear.

* * *

**…  
**

* * *

Bonnie soaked in the bathtub, filled to the top with steaming water and bubbles. The door was open and music was playing faintly in the background. It was after six, meaning Damon was supposed to have been home more than an hour ago. She got it; work took priority right now. But she missed him. She missed the time they would spend together, just the two of them. Pulling an arm out from the tub, she reached for the glass of wine she had sitting on the floor, water dripped from her skin, forming a small puddle.

When the front door opened, she felt every muscle tense. She waited as he walked down the hall, greeting Mina on the way. He made his way past the bathroom, paused, and backed up. "Hey."

"Hey." She half-smiled up at him. "How was work?"

His eyes darted away. "Long." He licked his lips. "I already ate, but I brought you something. It's on the counter."

" _Oh_. Okay. Thanks."

He nodded, and then ran a hand over his neck. "Think I'm just gonna head to bed early."

She swallowed. "Yeah. Sure."

He knocked his knuckles on the door jamb and stepped back.

"Damon?"

"Hm?"

"Are you… Are you okay?"

He stared at her a moment, and his mouth hitched up faintly. "Yeah. Fine. Just…"

"Tired." She nodded. "Okay."

He lingered a moment, his gaze heavy on her face. "I love you."

Her heart thudded in her chest. "Love you too."

A beat passed, and then another, before he stepped back and continued down the hall.

Bonnie stared at the place he stood, empty now, and finished off her wine. She placed the glass on the floor before she sunk down under the water and stayed there until she couldn't hold her breath any longer.

* * *

**…  
**

* * *

Damon looked up from under the hood of his car as the garage door opened and Bonnie leaned inside. "I was going to take Mina to the park. You wanna come?"

He motioned the wrench in his hand around. "Uh, I was hoping to finish this up today… Maybe tomorrow."

Bonnie nodded. "Sure." She half-smiled, tugging on Mina's leash to draw her back through the door. "Have fun."

He hummed in reply, before returning his attention to the inside of the car. He waited for the sound of the door to close before he sighed. He was avoiding her, he knew that. He just wasn't sure what to say to her, how to explain why he was being weird and moody lately.

Tossing the wrench away, he moved to his work bench and snapped the cap off a beer. It was lukewarm and he grimaced at the taste. Taking a seat on a stool, he wiped his hands off on a rag and looked at the wall. Bonnie had hung up a couple framed photos; one of him and Danny and Chris, and another of him and her. They bottom frame hung crooked, and he reached out to right it. The picture of him, Danny and Chris pulled off the nail and landed heavy in his palm. He brought it over to his work table and frowned down at it.

They were a good group of friends, better than he'd had in the past. He'd never been good at making friends, or keeping them. He always screwed up. Put himself or a girl first. He was selfish, always had been. But he'd grown here; at least he felt like he had. He still had a lot of growing to do, but progress had to count for something. And he surrounded himself with some pretty amazing people, maybe in the hopes that they'd rub off on him.

Chris had been his moral compass from the beginning. Helping him work through the muddled way he had always viewed things and how they should be. He was the guy Damon looked up to, even wanted to be like in a lot of ways. He always seemed to know what the right thing to do was, where Damon always struggled with what 'right' even meant.

Hanging the picture back up, he stared at it a minute longer, at his arms as they hung over his two best friends' shoulders and the grin pulling his mouth up. The reflection in the glass was the opposite; alone and frowning.

He pushed off the stool, and moved back to his car, eager to bury his turmoil in anything else.

* * *

**…  
**

* * *

"She's getting so big…" Bonnie smiled down at Sofia as she bounced her on her knee.

Chewing on her fingers, and drooling all over her own hand, Sofia just giggled and pushed off against Bonnie's leg, happy to move.

"Yeah, she's growing like a tree." Carla dusted off her hands of the pastry she'd been eating. "So? Are we going to talk bachelorette party details or what?"

Bonnie cocked her head skeptically. "Isn't it a little early for that…?"

"It's _never_ too early to pre-hire strippers."

She snorted.

"And _please_ don't tell me no strippers. Don't be one of _those_ brides."

Bonnie raised an eyebrow. "Hey, I'm definitely on bored with some eye-candy. The raunchier the better."

Carla's head fell back as she laughed. " _Amen_."

* * *

**…  
**

* * *

"Why are we taste testing cake in November? We've still got seven months before the wedding." Damon perused the picture book the bakery offered of various other wedding cakes they'd made in the past.

" _Because_. We have to put an order in early so they have enough time to get it ready along with everybody else."

"How many other people could _possibly_ be getting married the same week as us?" He scoffed. "How many people are even in this town?"

"Enough that this bakery has a six-month reservation policy for weddings." She leaned against his side, staring up at him. "I know I sound like I'm on repeat, but, are you sure you're okay? You've been in a mood for… a while."

"Fine. Just… Have a lot on my mind."

"Okay, well, you wanna talk about it?" She rubbed a hand up and down his back. "Is it about work? Is there an issue with a worker or—?"

"No. And I don't… I don't want to talk about it." He shrugged her hand off his back and walked down the aisle, toward the display case of fresh-baked goods.

Bonnie stared after him a moment, her brow furrowed, and then sighed, and turned to the book, flipping through a few pages. She took a few minutes, admiring the elaborate cakes inside, before she cast a glance toward him. "Carla said when she and Danny were checking out cakes, he really liked the white chocolate and raspberry… They went with something else, but maybe it'll be good."

Damon grunted, his hands tucked in the pockets of his jacket. "Yeah, sure."

Before she could push him on the subject, a tall, stocky man came out to meet them. "Hello, you must be Bonnie." He held out a hand.

Bonnie shook it. "Gregor, right?"

"Yes." He nodded, before rubbing his hands together enthusiastically. "Well, I have a few taste testers already set up for you in the back, if you want to come with me. We can talk about different mixes you might prefer too. I've had customers say they like one icing with another cake, so you just try each taste profile and let me know what fits, all right?"

"Yes, thank you. That sounds great." She looked back to Damon as she started to follow Gregor. "Damon?"

He looked up, saw what was happening, and then nodded. "Right." He followed after them, a few steps behind her, and Bonnie chewed her lip.

A table was set up with individual plates of a small slice of various cakes, along with forks, napkins, and a jug of water to cleanse their palate. Name cards were set up in front of each slice, listing what kind of cake and frosting went into each. Bonnie shrugged her jacket off and laid it over a chair as she stepped closer. "Everything looks delicious."

"Thank you." Gregor waved toward the table. "Please, start wherever you like."

Bonnie moved toward a double chocolate cake decorated with fresh raspberries and plucked up a fork. When she looked back, Damon was frowning down at his phone as he typed out a message. Taking a bite of the cake, she let it melt on her tongue, the flavors strong and smooth. "Damon, come try this one."

He looked up, but just as he took a step toward her, his phone rang. "One second." He answered it and, after a beat, turned to leave the room to speak privately.

Bonnie stared after him a moment before offered an apologetic smile to Gregor. She took a sip of the water and swished it around her mouth before swallowing. "This one's delicious," she told him.

Happy to talk about his work, Gregor launched into a discussion of how it was made.

Bonnie listened politely, nodding along as he spoke, but her eyes were on the door Damon had left through.

He didn't return until she was already finished trying each cake.

"Are we done?" he asked, as she pulled her jacket on.

"Yeah." She shook Gregor's hand before she slipped her gloves on and left the room.

"Which cake did we pick?" Damon wondered, following after.

" _We_ didn't pick a cake. You didn't even _try_ any of the cakes."

He sighed. "I'm sorry. There was a thing, at work. I just… I needed to talk to Chris about it."

Bonnie hummed. She nodded farewell to some of the other workers and made her way outside, tucking her hands into the pockets of her coat.

"Bonnie… I'm sorry." He tugged on her elbow to get her to turn toward him. "I was a jerk. I should've turned my phone off. Work could wait." He stared down at her searchingly. "I really am sorry. I know this was important to you."

"To us," she corrected. "This is our cake. For _our_ wedding."

"I know." His hands framed her hips and drew her a little closer. "I've been distracted and I was taking it out on you. I'm an asshole. I'm sorry."

Deflating, she stared up at him, her brow furrowed. "Something's obviously bothering you… If you don't want to talk to me about it, fine. I can't change that. But talk to someone. Danny, Chris, somebody who can help you through it."

He pursed his lips, but nodded. "Okay."

"Okay." She turned then, and began walking down the sidewalk.

He kept pace beside her. "So…? What cake did _you_ pick?"

She raised an eyebrow at him. "I guess you'll find out in seven months."

He groaned, his head falling back.

* * *

**…  
**

* * *

"How's the wedding coming along?" Chris wondered, looking up from the book he was writing in.

Damon shrugged, wiping down the bar with a rag. "Fine. Carla might as well be a wedding planner the way she handles this stuff. I'm pretty sure she's the ringleader of this whole thing."

Snorting, Chris grinned. "She's just excited. Took you long enough to propose. Was starting to think you never would."

"Yeah, well, when you know, you know." He paused. "Like you and Brandon. You've been together even longer than me and Bon. But no ring or six-tiered cake. Why's that?"

Chris shrugged, his gaze falling back to the book as he scribbled in a few numbers. "I don't know. We just never got around to it."

"Yeah…" Damon stared at him. "Well, maybe you two are next then. I'm sure if you ask nicely, Carla will plan the whole thing for you."

He hummed, keeping his eyes down. "Yeah, maybe."

* * *

**…  
**

* * *

Bonnie leaned back against her pillow, one arm thrown over her face as she struggled to catch her breath. Her legs were shaking, muscles trembling as she lay sprawled out, Damon beside her, sweat cooling on her skin. "That was…" She didn't have words for it. Her voice was a little hoarse and she knew she'd be walking funny if she stood up, but it was well worth it.

"Yeah," he said, pride and pleasure heavy in his voice.

She looked over at him, his skin flushed and damp, hair plastered to his head, a grin pulling at his mouth. He looked happy. Happier than he had in a while. It felt like, for months now, he'd been in this strange mood. Distant and moody and unwilling to talk about why. Was it a bad sign that the only time he didn't was fresh after sex? She knew what he was like before. Using sex and alcohol to drown out anything he didn't find interesting enough to hold his attention. Or to avoid the chaotic mess his life had spiraled into.

She'd asked him to talk to her, words that felt like they were losing meaning she'd asked them so much. But he'd distracted her, telling her he was fine, everything was fine, and then turning her attention elsewhere. She'd missed him. He spent so many nights at the bar lately, working until long past when she was awake. It was easy to get caught up in that feeling of having him, physically if nothing else. And he'd made up for lost time, in that way at least. But it didn't resolve anything.

He seemed to pick up on that too, because he sat up, mumbled something about a shower, and left the room.

And Bonnie stayed, turning her eyes up toward the ceiling. For the first time since she and Damon got together, she regretted sleeping together. Usually, he wanted to cuddle, even when their skin was too warm and sticky and it was just that side of uncomfortable. Or he'd invite her into the shower with him, get her worked up again under the water as he scrubbed soap all over her skin. But the distance was back just as quickly as it had disappeared. He was there and she was here and there was a gulf left between them much larger than the hallway.

Was this how it was always going to be now?

* * *

**…  
**

* * *

"It's Matt, right?"

Mak looked up from his plate. "Oh. Uh, _Mak_ ," he corrected.

Damon nodded, staring down at him a long moment. And then he pointed to his food. "No shrimp?"

He half-smiled. "No, no shrimp this time. It's really good."

"Yeah. We've got a good cook." He slid into a seat across from him. "You must really like this place. You're here a lot."

"That's good, isn't it? Regular customers are kind of your goal in this industry, right?"

"Sure. Yeah, we like it when people make us their go-to place. We've done pretty good so far. I like to think it's because we're a good team. Like a family, really. Chris is like a brother to me. Probably an older brother. Someone I tend to look up to. He's got a good head on his shoulders. Always been the smart one, made the right choices, stuck with the right people… Like Brandon, his boyfriend. Those two, they've been together forever. Can't remember a time when they weren't, y'know?"

"Yeah, sure. _Goals_ ," he said, smiling awkwardly.

"Yeah." Damon knocked his knuckles against the table. "Well, I'll let you finish eating. I've got some work to do." Standing from the table, he started back toward to the bar. "See ya, Matt."

"Mak," he called after him, but went unacknowledged.

* * *

**…  
**

* * *

It was nearly 4 am. Mina's closed at 2.

Bonnie stared at the red letters of the alarm clock, watching the minutes tick away, one after the other. Was he avoiding her? Had he fallen asleep at his desk? Did he prefer being there than here? Was he regretting this? _All_ of this? The relationship, the engagement, the low-key life they'd put together… Question after question ran through her mind. Fears and worries stacked on top of each other until she felt like they were crushing her.

Damon slunk in ten minutes later, stripped out of his clothes and climbed into bed. She could feel how careful he was not to jar the bed, in case it woke her. Because he was considerate or because he didn't want to answer questions?

She waited for him to reach for her, held her breath as she stared at the wall, waiting for the arm to encircle her waist and pull her back. Waiting for him to nuzzle against her neck, wake her up with a kiss like he used to. But he didn't. He laid beside her a long moment, and then he turned over, so he was facing away from her.

And Bonnie felt her heart crack and fall into her stomach.

She closed her eyes against the heat of her tears and begged for sleep.

* * *

**…  
**

* * *

Damon wasn't sure what he was doing. Was he working these shifts to keep an eye on Chris, to interfere when necessary, or because he wanted to avoid the issues going on at home? Bonnie wasn't happy with him. He knew this. He wasn't an idiot. She was trying to help, to be supportive, and he kept putting her at arm's length. He just wasn't sure how to tell her what was going on. He didn't technically have proof outside of some flirting. Mak showed up every other night, sat at the bar or at a table, and talked to Chris at every opportunity. Sometimes he touched his arm or his hand or they'd stare at each other for a little too long. But was that proof? Or was he just making something of nothing?

Maybe this was cold feet. _Maybe_ he was putting his fears of marriage onto his friend because they were easier to deal with if they weren't on him. Or maybe he should stop reading those psychology books when he was bored…

All he had to do was say something. Ask one simple question. _Are you cheating on Brandon?_ And then the mystery would be solved. But what then? Did he demand he stop? Or fess up? Or did he just… let it keep happening? Was it his business what went on in their relationship? Maybe it was, if it was affecting him this much…

Either way, he needed to say something to someone. Because bottling it up was doing him no favors. So he decided he would. He'd talk to someone. He just wasn't sure _who_. If he told Danny, he would tell Carla, who would eventually let it slip to Bonnie, who wouldn't be comfortable lying to Brandon. All of their friends were too connected; once one knew, it was only a matter of time before the rest did. So that left the source. He had to talk to Chris. Simple enough in theory, not so much in reality.

* * *

**…  
**

* * *

" _Hey_."

Damon looked up, his brows hiked. "Hey… What're you doing here?"

Bonnie's smile wobbled and she shifted her feet a little, playing with the keys in her hands. "Uh. Finished my dance class, thought maybe we could have dinner together. Or, I don't know, just… hang out in the office for a little while."

"I want to. But… We're really busy right now." He took a look around the bar for a moment before his eyes darted back toward her. "Maybe tomorrow."

" _Yeah_." She nodded, twisting her fingers together. "Yeah, tomorrow."

"Okay." He turned around, pulling a bottle off a shelf and filling a few glasses. "I'll see you later tonight, all right? I love—" When he turned back around, Bonnie was slipping out the door. She didn't look back. "— _you_."

* * *

**…  
**

* * *

"Have you ever cheated on Carla?"

Danny dropped the hammer in his hand, and whirled his head to look at him. "What?" He walked to the door of the nursery and closed it. "What the _hell,_ man? Are you trying to get me killed in my sleep?"

Damon sighed, leaning back in the rocking chair he was sitting on, a beer bottle balanced on his knee. "Is Carla even home?"

"She's in the rec room in the basement. Sofia likes to nap down there. It's quieter." He turned back to him. "What's all this about?"

"Just curious. You and Carla have been together a while. Wondered if you ever slipped up."

Danny frowned, his brow furrowed. "No. Never. Once I met Carla, I mean… I forgot every other girl existed for a while. And, when we got comfortable with each other, nobody else really mattered."

Humming, he nodded, staring at the floor a moment.

"Damon…?"

He looked up.

Danny stared at him a long beat. "You fuck up, man?"

Damon stared back. Not for the question, but because Danny didn't hesitate to ask. He knew the implication, he knew how things could change if he got the answer, but he still asked. Because he cared. Because Damon was his friend.

"No," he answered honestly. "No, I've never… Not on Bonnie."

"All right… Then what's this really about?"

He sighed, rubbing a hand over his chin. "Just... thinking."

"About cheating?" Danny lifted a skeptical eyebrow.

"Not me. Not… About why people do it. What makes them screw up a good relationship, risk everything…? What kind of people do that? And what's it mean for the rest of us?"

Danny hummed. "Deep thoughts for a guy sitting in the rocking chair my wife breastfeeds in."

With a snort, Damon shook his head. "You think good people are still good if they make a mistake?"

"Sure. Everybody makes mistakes. It's what you do to fix it that matters."

"What if they don't want to fix it? What if they just keep doing it?"

"Then I guess that's a question they gotta ask themselves. Doesn't really matter if _we_ think they're good. _Do they?_ "

Damon let that turn around in his head. And then he shook his mood off and stood up. "Gimme that hammer before you take off a thumb. Where are we hanging this thing?"

* * *

**…  
**

* * *

"Are these the wedding invitations?"

Bonnie looked up from the book in her lap to find Damon holding a small, open box. "Oh. Uh, yeah." She paused. "What were you doing in the storage room?"

"Looking for a measuring tape." He brought the box with him as he walked over to the couch, taking a seat and placing the box on the coffee table. "They turned out nice."

She hummed.

"I thought you wanted to send them out before Christmas?"

Gaze returned to her book, she shook her head. "I was thinking after the new year, when everything died down a little. There's no rush."

He sat back against the couch and twirled a card between his fingers. " _Bonnie Sheila Bennett and Damon Francesco Salvatore_ — did we really need to add my middle name?" He screwed his mouth up. "— _request the honor of your presence at their wedding celebration_. Fancy. _June 2nd_ … etcetera, etcetera… _Reception to follow at Mina's Bar & Grill_. I like it. Not too flowery. Colors are nice."

"Yeah, well, Kayla designed it, and Carla helped us figure out the wording on everything."

"Hmm." He flipped the card over a few more times. "So. June 2nd. That's, what, five and a half months away… You get your dress yet?"

"Fitting is supposed to be this Saturday. Kayla wants to come."

He nodded. "They got their dresses, didn't they? I remember The Kid mentioning it."

"Yeah. There's a different design for each of them. They seem happy."

"Good. That's good." He licked his lips and glanced at her, but then returned his gaze to the card. "I was thinking… maybe this Christmas, we could head up to the cabin, just the two of us."

She looked over at him. "Skip dinner at Chris and Brandon's?"

"Yeah, well, I see Chris every day. Feels like you and me haven't had much time for each other lately."

Bonnie stared at him a long moment, and then nodded. "Yeah, I'd like that."

"Good. Cabin it is." With that, he placed the invitation back with the others and stood from the couch to carry the box back to the storage room.

* * *

**…  
**

* * *

"Hey, I heard you weren't coming to the Christmas party this year." Naomi frowned. "What's that about?"

"Yeah." Bonnie shook her head. "We're heading up to the cabin, actually. I think it might be nice. Some time to ourselves. Something's going on with him. I don't know what it is, he won't talk about it, but… I don't know. I'm starting to think this whole thing was a mistake."

"What thing? The wedding?" Naomi frowned. "Everybody gets cold feet, but—"

"No, not the wedding. _This_." She swallowed tightly, busying herself with the candles she was putting on the shelves. "What if we made the wrong choice? What if… we should've just stayed friends?"

"Bonnie…"

"He won't talk to me. Whenever I try, he makes excuses or he turns it into something else. And I just… I feel like I'm losing him. Not just my boyfriend, but my best friend. I feel like he doesn't… I don't know. Like he doesn't want to be there anymore. He's always at work. _Always_. Even the nights he's not supposed to be there. And…" She licked her lips. "Maybe he is talking to me, just not with words. Maybe he's trying to get something through to me and I've just been ignoring it this whole time."

Naomi stared at her a long moment. "Damon loves you."

"He did. Yeah. I'm not questioning that. And maybe he still does. Just... Maybe not like he used to."

"That's a big leap to make. One the ring on your finger would definitely argue."

Bonnie looked down at her hand, at the ring that used to sparkle. She spun it with her thumb. "Rings don't make a marriage. Communication, support, _love_ … Those do."

"So talk to him…" she encouraged, reaching out to rub a hand over her shoulder. "Take this break to change things. Go away, spend time in your cabin, get him to open up."

"Yeah." Bonnie blinked quickly, nodding. "Yeah, I will."

"Good." Hugging an arm around her shoulders, Naomi pulled her into a hug. "And if worse comes to worst, toss him in the lake. No one will ever find him out there."

Bonnie laughed, and buried it against Naomi's shoulder. "That's awful."

"You know I'm right though."

Raising an eyebrow, Bonnie looked up at her suspiciously. "You need to confess something?"

"Are you wearing a wire?"

They laughed. And, for the moment, the mood was lightened.

* * *

**…  
**

* * *

The gifts under the tree were a little sparser this year, since they'd agreed on a budget. Mina had already sniffed out which were hers and was lying hopefully by them, her tail wagging. Bonnie had a book of poetry in her lap as she sat against the far corner of the couch, legs tucked under her, wool socks keeping her feet warm, and a glass of wine in reach.

They hadn't talked.

They'd made idle chit-chat over the last few days, but so far, they hadn't broached the real issue, or even come close to it. Damon cooked, busied himself with Mina, and did just about everything to avoid really sitting down with her. Bonnie wasn't sure what to make of it. She knew Damon wasn't exactly the best at verbalizing what was going on in his head. It took a lot of false-starts before he said what he meant to say. But this felt different. She felt like he was purposely pulling away, like he was personally driving a wedge between them, and she was starting to think there was no removing it.

"How's your book?"

She looked up at his voice. He had a dish towel over his shoulder, having just finished tidying up the kitchen. "Good. Just poetry."

His brows jumped. "We used to read that together."

"We used to do a lot of things together…"

He gnashed his teeth together and glanced away. "I was thinking maybe tomorrow we could go for a walk. Snow isn't too deep yet. We could take Mina and—"

"Can we talk?" she interrupted, staring up at him.

He hesitated, but then said, "Yeah. Of course." He tugged the dish towel down and wiped his hands off, keeping his gaze there as she stared up at him.

"I've tried being patient, and giving you your space. I've tried to let you figure out… _whatever_ this is on your own. I tried to be there for you, to support you, and it seems like every time I try, I'm met with a brick wall." She shook her head. "You're pulling away."

"I'm not. I'm…" He blew out a heavy breath. "It's complicated."

" _What's_ complicated? Because you're the only one that knows what's going on with you. I've asked, over and over again, and you tell me it's nothing. But it's obviously not nothing. I mean, you stay out until four in the morning. You work nights you're not supposed to. You never have time for anything but work. When you are home, you're in your garage or you go to bed early. It's like you can't stand to be there anymore. To be around _me_ anymore. And I don't get it. I have no idea what _changed_."

"It's not…" He twisted the towel up in his hands. "I can't believe I'm about to say this, but… it's not you, it's _me_."

Bonnie let out an incredulous laugh. "Are you kidding me?"

"No, Bonnie, I know what that sounds like. But it's not an excuse. I just… I'm figuring some stuff out."

"Some stuff you can't tell me about?" Her brow raised. "Stuff that keeps you out all night, at a bar. Stuff that makes you push me away at every _possible_ chance? That kind of stuff?"

He didn't answer, just staring back at her.

Bonnie felt her chest swell and ache. Shoring up her courage, she told him, "If you don't want to do this, you need to tell me."

His brow furrowed.

"If this is cold feet. If you're wishing you hadn't changed anything, hadn't proposed, then _say_ something. Because all of this is falling apart and I can't hold it together. I—" She shook her head. "I'm not even sure I want to anymore."

Damon's mouth curled with anger. "What the _hell_ is that supposed to mean?"

"It means I miss my best friend, and my partner, and my boyfriend."

"Fiancé," he corrected.

"Really?" She pushed off the couch. "Is that what you are?"

He stared at her searchingly. "You tell me."

Bonnie looked down at her hand, and twisted the ring there. "When you asked me to marry you, I said 'yes' because I couldn't imagine a life with anybody else. I couldn't imagine being _happier_ with anyone else. Because you were everything I wanted for the rest of my life. But who you were when you proposed is not who you are now… You haven't been that for months."

"Bonnie…"

"I thought if we got away it would change. Maybe if we got away from the bar for a while, if it was just us, you'd be able to talk to me or we'd find our groove again. But it's not happening." She tugged the ring up to her knuckle.

"When we got here, all we had was each other, and we made it work. We were the only people who knew what we went through, who we could be completely honest with. We built a foundation on that, a friendship. And falling in love with you… It was so _easy_. It was the easiest thing I ever did." She smiled, even as her lips trembled. "I thought we could do it, I really did. I thought… Who better to fall in love with than my best friend?" She looked up at him through the blur of tears. "And I do love you. I do. But I _can't_ … I can't spend an eternity wondering if I'm a mistake you just don't know how to fix… I can't spend my life waiting for you to come home when you want to be anywhere else. And I _won't_ hold on to you when you're _desperate_ to get away."

He stared down at her, his eyes damp and bright. "I'm not. That's not…" He shook his head, grinding his teeth.

She pulled the ring from her finger, and felt her heart crack. Taking his hand, she turned it over, and placed the ring in his palm. She stared at it a long moment, glittering and gold, and then she let him go. Taking a step back, she turned on her heel and walked to the bedroom.

Every step felt like a physical blow. She wasn't sure what she expected. For him to stop her. To explain himself. To beg her not to leave. Maybe all of the above. But instead, it was quiet. He didn't call her name. He didn't give her the answers she wanted. He didn't do a damn thing. He just let her go.

And maybe that said everything.

* * *

… **  
**

* * *

It was two in the morning and Damon was freezing his ass off on the porch of his best friend while he banged on the front door. It took five minutes before the light turned on and the door finally opened.

"Damon?" A tired Chris blinked back at him. "Do you have any idea what time it is?"

"This is _your_ fault!" He began to pace from one end of the porch to the other.

"What?" Rubbing a hand over his face, he stepped outside, pulling his bathrobe a little tighter. "What are you talking about?"

"Bonnie just broke up with me." He dug a hand into his pocket and produced her engagement ring. "She said she couldn't be with me if I was so desperate to get away from her. Which, you know, six months ago, would've been fucking _hilarious_. As if I wasn't glued to that woman's side like I fucking suction-cupped myself there! But that was six months ago. Back when I was blissfully unaware that you were having a goddamn _affair_ at our fucking bar!" he hissed.

Chris' brows hiked. " _Damon_ …"

"I mean, it's one thing to flirt. _I_ flirt. I'm just a little choosier about who I flirt _with_. I mean, Naomi knows it's just for fun. She knows I'd never actually take it anywhere. But _you_ … You and _Mak_ …" He shook his head. "That's not harmless. That's _something_. I should know! I logged hours into this. I could've been at home, with Bonnie, but instead, there I was, trying to figure out what the hell you were doing." He whirled around, throwing his arms out wide. " _What the hell were you doing_ , Chris?!"

He stared at him a long moment, and then licked his lips. "It was just a flirtation. It never went anywhere."

"Really? Are you sure about that?" Damon stepped toward him, searching his face. "How long have you and Brandon been together? Huh? How many years did you put into that relationship?"

"A lot," he answered. "A lot of time, a lot of love, a lot of everything. You think I don't love Brandon? You think I don't plan to spend the rest of my life with him?"

"I don't know! I don't know you anymore. I don't know what to _think_."

Chris frowned. "This isn't about me. It's about you."

"Maybe it's about _both_." He sneered. "No, you know what, fine. Maybe it _is_ about me. Nine years we've been friends. Nine damn years and you have been the crowned jewel of relationship gurus. You're a goddamn _unicorn,_ okay? Every mistake I've ever made in a relationship, every stupid thing I ever did, or _thought_ about doing, all I had to do was talk to you and you set me straight. You got me through every hurdle with Bonnie. Every time I second-guessed myself, thought I wasn't good enough for her, every time I thought I'd end up screwing things up, you talked me through that. And I knew, no matter what happened, I could always turn to you, always rely on you to be the voice of reason. But now here we are. All right? And you… You're the guy who's supposed to get it right. The guy I look at and go 'hey, if he can do it, maybe I got a chance of making it.' You are the _best_ person I know, with the exception of Bonnie herself. And you have the best _relationship_ I've ever known two people to have. So just… _tell me_. Tell me how two people who work as well as you and Brandon can fall apart, the _paradigm_ of a perfect relationship, and how me and Bonnie are supposed to last if you two can't."

Swallowing tightly, Chris drew a deep breath. "I'm not perfect. I… I'm not even _close_." He shook his head. "I'm human. I'm flawed. I make mistakes. A lot of them. Most of what I've learned is from experience. I made my mistakes and I did my best not to make them a second time. Most of the time, I've been lucky. I lucked out with Brandon. We've been together for so long, it's easy to forget that. Forget that we've had our ups and our downs and the only way we got through them was by _getting through them_." He sighed, and walked toward the porch swing to take a seat.

Damon turned to watch him a moment, and then followed to take a seat next to him, leaning forward to rest his elbows on his knees.

"Mak was a distraction. He… made me feel wanted. I know Brandon loves me. I love him too. But sometimes you just want to feel that spark again. You want to see someone light up when you walk in a room. It feels good. For the ego mostly." He fiddled with his hands, rubbing them absently. "I kissed him. _Mak_. It was… spontaneous. That's another thing you start to miss after a while. _Spontaneity_. You get into a routine and you forget how fun it can be not to follow one. So, I kissed him. It was late. The bar was empty, Jin Sun had already gone home, we were the only two people there. I could've taken it farther. Part of me even wanted to. But I didn't."

Damon stared at the ground, his brow furrowed. "Why?"

"Because. If I didn't stop, how far would I let it go? Would I leave Brandon for Mak? Stay with Mak, make a life, and ten years down the line, find myself doing the same thing all over again? Life is made up of choices. You either stay and you fight for your relationship, work through whatever's going on, or you don't. Sometimes you fight and it still doesn't work out. You're too different, you want different things, you just don't feel the same way anymore. But at least you tried. At least you did everything you could before you let go and you don't have to wonder about it later. I made a choice. I kissed him, and then I told him the truth. That I love Brandon and I needed to go home." He shrugged. "He wasn't happy about it, but he got it."

Humming, he nodded. "Does Brandon know?"

"I told him. He's staying with a friend, but… we're working it out. I hope, anyway." He sighed. "Relationships aren't easy, Damon. And there's not always a quick answer. Sometimes all you can do is be honest and hope for the best."

Damon dragged his hands over his face. "I wasn't honest with her. I couldn't tell her what was happening."

"Why?"

"I told myself it was because I should talk to you first, but I made excuses not to do that too…" He frowned. "It was on me. I thought if you couldn't do it, I had no chance. That I'd end up screwing up down the line and she'd be hurt because of it."

"Sounds like she's pretty hurt already."

"Yeah." He sighed. "Yeah, she is."

"So?" Chris turned to him. "What're you gonna do about it?"

Damon stared back a moment, before nodding. He stood from the bench and tucked his hands into the pockets of his jacket as he made his way to the stairs leading down to the yard.

"Damon?"

He looked back.

"Next time you think I'm screwing up, don't wait six months to call me on it. Would've saved us both some time."

He nodded. "I'll keep that in mind."

Chris half-smiled, and made his way to the door of his house. "Make good choices," he called out to him.

Climbing into his car, Damon muttered, "Here's hoping."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this chapter is hella long, and feels clunky, but i've been working on it for forever and i just need it out already, lol. i really wanted to delve into how separated they were feeling. how, for bonnie, she can feel this gaping distance between them and it weighs on her. she's constantly reaching out and being rebuffed. and damon is aware he's doing it, and in many ways wants to stop, but doesn't. i was actually going to cut this chapter off at bonnie returning the ring and walking away. but i really wanted damon to explain himself, because i wasn't sure it came across as much when i was writing his pieces.
> 
> essentially, he puts all of his own fears on chris. damon's not great at relationships and he sort of relies on chris to be the shining example of what to do. he knows he can turn to him for guidance, and sort of believes that, without him, he'd screw things up at every opportunity. his track record in relationships sucks, and he views the common denominator as himself. he's not entirely wrong. but he also hasn't had the best taste in partners. his relationship with bonnie is incredibly important to him, but he's put chris on a pedestal of being his go-to for support and guidance. so when chris falls off that pedestal, suddenly he has to rethink things. and he starts wondering if someone as good as chris can't be faithful and good, then what kind of chance does he have of being that for bonnie. so now he's doubting his own ability to be the kind of husband she deserves, and he has no idea how to verbalize that. so he doesn't. he just kind of shuts down. he can't go to his usual coping mechanisms 'cause he's human. so he keeps bonnie at a distance and distracts himself with chris' on-going 'thing' with mak. really terrible excuse that very clearly backfired on him. bonnie has no idea what's going on. all she knows is that one minute they were great and spending all this time together and were engaged, and the next he's avoiding her and pulling away and he's moody all the time. so she takes it personally, 'cause let's face it, she doesn't have a great relationship track record either. they're both usually the second choice, if a choice at all, and some of those old fears start building up again until they finally blow up, and voila.
> 
> anyway, just needed to get that out. i hope i got the message across without my giant 'this is what i meant' at the end. and that you enjoyed the angst. i love me some angst. :)
> 
> thanks so much for reading! please try to leave a review, if you can!
> 
> - **lee | fina**


	15. try

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **faceclaim** : [C A S T](http://sarcasticfina.tumblr.com/eternity)  
>  **music** : [8tracks](http://8tracks.com/katieeefaye/i-m-losing-you) (not mine)
> 
>  **chapter rating** : pg-15  
>  **chapter warnings** : gore, implied past domestic abuse (side character's history)  
>  **word count** : 12,706

**XV.**

**TAIL END OF EIGHT YEARS  
**

* * *

Bonnie wasn't sure what to expect that morning. She woke up exhausted, her eyes puffy from crying, every muscle achy from tossing and turning, and a headache hammering away at her temples. She sat at the edge of the bed, hands folded in her lap, and considered simply rolling over and burying herself in the blankets and pillows. She could shut out the early morning light, shut out the _world_ , and just wallow a little while longer.

Instead, she lingered, pulling at her fingers nervously, wondering what she _wanted_ to be on the other side of the door. A devastated Damon willing to work on things. An understanding Damon who just wanted to salvage their friendship. An apologetic Damon who wanted to explain everything. No Damon at all…

Whatever she expected, it wasn't what she found.

Taking a deep breath, she stood from the bed. Pulling on her robe and sliding her feet into a pair of slippers, she shuffled to the door. She opened it slowly, an inch at a time. Mina turned her head toward her, the tags on her collar jangling against each other, but whipped her head back to the kitchen just as fast. And then Bonnie heard it; the whistling. A cheerful little tune echoing around the kitchen.

Confused, she pulled the door open completely and stepped out of the room. She could see his back from where she stood. He was at the stove, focused on whatever he was cooking.

Wrapping her arms around herself, she hooked her fingers in the fabric of her robe and strode toward the kitchen. She didn't know what she was going to say or do, but just as she reached him, he turned around, and her open mouth fell empty.

He grinned at her, so wide that wrinkles fanned out from the corners of his eyes. "Hey! I was starting to think you'd sleep the whole day away…"

Bonnie blinked at him, and then looked down at the plate he was putting on the counter.

He made pancakes.

Shaking a can of whipped cream, he added fangs to a blueberry smiley face.

A laugh bubbled up in her throat, edged with hysteria, and her eyes pricked with tears.

Damon wiped his hands on a striped towel hanging over his shoulder. " _Bon appétit_ ," he said, lifting the plate from the counter and walking around to the table, laying it down in front of a jug of orange juice and a mug of steaming coffee. Syrup and butter were laid out in wait, alongside cutlery and a fabric napkin.

She licked her dry lips, swallowed, and cleared her throat. "What is this?"

His smile dipped for a second, but then returned, a little less cheerful. "A peace offering…?"

She sighed, hugging her arms around herself a little tighter. "A little late, don't you think?"

He glanced away, and then motioned to the table. "Can we talk?"

Her shoulders slumped.

" _Please?_ "

She looked up at him, hesitated, but finally moved toward the table, sliding into her chair. While she looked at the food in front of her, she didn't touch it.

Damon moved back to the counter and collected his own plate before joining her at the table. He took his time slathering butter and syrup over his stack of pancakes, his brow furrowed, and Bonnie stared at him. His clothes were wrinkled and there were bags under his eyes. He'd looked run down a lot lately, working late nights at the bar, but this was different. He'd been walking around in a fog lately, distant and weighed down. Now, he looked lighter, like he'd shrugged off whatever had been hanging off his shoulders. Her heart squeezed as she wondered if it was her breaking up with him that finally brought him peace.

"How'd you sleep?" he wondered, reaching over to make up her coffee for her, keeping his hands busy.

"Lousy," she admitted frankly. "Tossed and turned for most of it."

"Yeah." His mouth hitched up faintly. "I, uh… I didn't really sleep. Tried to, but the couch wasn't much of a cuddling partner."

Bonnie hummed, not in the mood to laugh. She took her coffee back from him and breathed in the rich scent, letting it settle her nerves a little.

"Look, I… I owe you an explanation. Well, I owe you a lot more than that, but I figure that's a good place to start."

She stared at him over the top of her mug. "So what, you're ready to talk now that we're over? All it took was breaking up?"

He winced and dropped his gaze to his plate. "My timing's never been good, we both know that…"

"Yeah, we do. I thought it got a lot better though… Until recently."

His jaw tightened briefly but then he blew out a sigh. He opened his mouth, closed it, and then tried again.

Irritated, Bonnie raised an eyebrow. "Spit it out."

"Chris was cheating on Brandon." He blew out a sigh, shoulders slumping, and then searched her face for a reaction.

Bonnie's eyes widened. She felt a swooping feeling in her stomach, of shock and anger and confusion. "Since _when?_ "

He shook his head. "After we opened the bar. He… There was this guy. _Mak_. They hit it off, I guess. I don't know."

"Okay…" She drew a deep breath. "Okay. He's your friend. He and Brandon are both our friends. But what does that have to do with _us_?"

"Chris… Since I got here, Chris was who I relied on to help me figure things out. Who I talked to about every screwed up thing I'd ever done. With some adjustments, obviously. I couldn't mention the whole 'I used to be a vampire' and 'we're all technically _dead_ ' thing. But you know what I mean."

She nodded.

"He's just… He's always been there and he helped me make _sense_ of things. Of what I felt for Katherine and Elena and how I sabotaged every relationship I ever had. With them, with Stefan, with _you_. He put everything into perspective in a way I could actually _get_. And I don't know, I guess I thought, as long as I have Chris, I have someone to go to, someone who can talk me down, someone who can talk _sense_ into me if I ever mess up again. Because I didn't— I was _terrified_ I would ruin this, ruin _us_ , and…" He laughed bitterly. "Obviously I was right to worry about it."

Bonnie sipped at her coffee, not sure what to say.

"When I saw him with Mak, I didn't know what to do. I saw him throwing away his relationship with Brandon in the blink of an eye. It didn't make sense to me. He was the good guy. He made all the right choices. He wasn't like _me_. He— He didn't screw up like I did. So I watched him, messing that all up, and I thought… If _he_ can't do it, if he can't make it work, how the hell am _I?_ " He swallowed tightly, hands tightening around his cutlery. "And I know that's a shitty excuse, I _know_ that. But I've never been this happy, Bonnie. And definitely not for this _long_. Inevitably, something goes wrong, and I mess up. _Big_ time. That's how it's always gone."

"You should've talked to me."

"I _know_. I know that. But if I told you, you'd tell Naomi and eventually it would get back to Brandon. And I know what you're thinking, that I shouldn't be hiding Chris' cheating for him. He should've fessed up to Brandon a long time ago. I just… I don't know. At first, it was just a flirtation. I wasn't even sure anything was going on. I thought maybe I was making it up in my head. So I didn't want to say anything. I wanted to see where it would go. And I started hanging around the bar, like I was some Bond reject, spying on them and trying to keep them apart. It was _stupid_. And I convinced myself that it was okay, that I was just trying to keep my friend from screwing up. But it wasn't about him. Not really. Not that he gets a pass on cheating. That's something him and Brandon have to figure out on their own. But… It was _me_. I was looking at Chris, wondering if one day that was going to be me. That I'd be the jerk flirting with some sorority girl at the bar while you're at home, _trusting_ me… Because that's the kind of shit I used to pull, all the time. I was _that_ guy. But I don't _want_ to be."

He took a deep breath. "It took me a while, to get over Elena. To accept that this was my life now. This was where I would live for the rest of my life. This was my home and my friends and my job… That Stefan wasn't going to sweep in on his white horse and save us from this place. And when I let go, I realized how _lucky_ I was. How _happy_ I was. That this whole afterlife thing wasn't even _half_ as bad as I thought it'd be. I mean, you're talking to a guy who figured when he finally bit it, he'd be surrounded by fire and brimstone and _pitchforks_ … But there I was, half in love with my best friend and happier than I can ever remember being."

He stared at her earnestly. "I have a lot to make up for. I know I put you through hell. I should've talked to you as soon as things started going sideways, I know that now. I should've trusted you and been honest with you and laid all my guilt and fear and insecure bullshit at your feet. But I _suck_ at that. So I… I'm just gonna have to learn to be better. Because I don't want to lose you, Bonnie. I don't want to spend the rest of this life with anybody _but_ you. I know that it's a lot to ask. I know that I've done nothing but hurt you these last few months. But I'm asking you to let me make it up to you… Let me show you that I can be better, that I _am_ better. Let me love you like you deserve."

Bonnie stared at him, her heart climbing up into her throat and swelling. "I—I don't…" She bit her lip hard. "I don't _know_ ," she whispered.

Damon dropped his cutlery, pushed back from the table, and circled around to her. She stayed seated, stiff at the table, watching him from the corner of her eyes.

He pulled her seat back for her, and turned it so she was facing him.

Her mouth trembled and tears burned her eyes.

Damon's hands swept gently over her cheeks. "Hey…"

She looked up at him, her throat tightening and burning.

"I want our life back. _All_ of it. I want Sunday morning cuddling and date night and late night ice cream runs in _December_. I want to pick you up from work and make you dinner and dance with you in our kitchen. I want our Bingo night back and to fall asleep holding you in our hammock. I want everything that we had, because it was _amazing_ , and even if I never deserved one _minute_ of it, I'm gonna fight like hell to get it back. Because dying was the best thing to ever happen to me, just so I could be here with you."

Her breath caught, tears trembling on the end of her eyelashes. "Damon…" Her hands caught around his wrists.

"Let me _try_ , Bonnie. _Please_."

She nodded shakily, closing her eyes as her tears spilled.

He kissed her forehead, breathing out a heavy sigh of relief, and then pulled her up and into a hug. "I'm sorry."

Burying her face against his chest, she gripped his shirt in her hands, and tried to catch her breath. Maybe it was a mistake. Maybe she would regret it later, giving him this chance, but she hoped not. Because despite everything, despite how hurt she was, despite knowing that walking away when she did _was_ the right thing to do, she still loved him.

"I'm still mad," she warned, her voice thick.

"I know." His hand slid up and down her back soothingly.

* * *

**…  
**

* * *

"You wanna go for a walk?"

Bonnie looked up from the book in her lap. After an emotionally draining morning, they'd skipped much of the usual Christmas festivities. The gifts were still under the tree, the turkey was uncooked, and they'd even traded in Jingle Bells for some soothing jazz. The sun was setting outside, giving the cabin and the surrounding area a beautiful glow.

Bonnie hesitated just a moment, but then nodded. They were trying to make this work. He was putting effort into being more present, she gave him props for that at least. But there was still an underlying feeling of tension, of justified anger, that would take a while to dissipate.

She pulled on her boots and jacket, and was wrapping her scarf around her neck as she searched the room for her gloves.

Damon whistled to catch her attention, and when she looked up, he was holding out a pair of gloves; they were purple, unlike the black pair she knew she'd been wearing when she arrived. "I always keep a spare on me," he explained, waving them at her. "You always lose yours."

Her heart gave a tug as she took them and slid them over her hands. "Thanks."

He nodded, staring down at her a long moment, and then moved to the door, swinging it open and gesturing for her to go first.

"Come on, Mina," she called, as she stepped out onto the deck. An eager Mina followed at her heels, tail wagging cheerfully.

A thin layer of snow covered the ground. This winter wasn't as heavy as some before it. Their first winter, there was hardly any snow at all. It felt like spring. But she could tell that this year would be different. It was starting later, but the chill was deep. Absently, she thought about winter tires and salting the driveway. Things Damon had always taken care of for her, since he deemed anything car-related as his speciality.

"It's going to be a bad winter this year, I think," she told him, making her way down toward the edge of the lake, where a path was worn from frequent walking.

He glanced at her. "Yeah. Might have to drag Danny and Chris along, plow some driveways for the neighbors." He grinned. "You remember that one year…?"

"When you caught the flu, spent a whole week on the couch, wouldn't eat _anything_ but Grams' chicken noodle soup." She ducked her head as she smiled. "You were such a _baby_."

"I was _sick_ ," he defended.

"Uh-huh, and you become the biggest whiner every time."

He rolled his eyes. "Maybe I just use it as an excuse for extra cuddle time… and _soup_."

She raised a doubtful eyebrow. " _Maybe_ …"

"Hey, I make you all that herbal tea junk when you get sick. Raid the store for all those _natural_ remedies for the common cold… Dash of rosemary this, sprig of thistle that, ear of rabbits foot and a thousand happy tears to finish it off."

She laughed. "You're not making _potions_."

"If I was, I'd be _great_ at it."

Bonnie bit her lip and shook her head at him. "If you say so."

He looked over at her, his eyes soft and a hopeful smile pulling at his lips. "I do."

Mina yipped then, and their attention turned to find her chasing after a squirrel, until it escaped up a tree. The sky shone a stunning array of colors, and Bonnie was briefly struck by the beauty around her.

"It's a little late for turkey, but I picked up a few steaks. I can throw them on when we get back, if you're hungry."

Bonnie nodded. "Yeah. That'd be nice."

They continued their walk around the lake, and while she didn't reach for his hand or bend her arm through his like they used to, she walked close, letting her arm brush against his. And when she slipped on an icy patch, and his hand settled on her lower back to keep her steady, she didn't mind that it stayed there.

It was getting dark as they climbed up the stairs to the porch. Mina bound up and took a seat at the door, panting happily.

"I'll get dinner started. Why don't you relax on the couch?"

"Sure."

She waited until the door was closed behind them before stripping off her jacket and gloves. As he hung his own jacket up and walked into the kitchen, she paused for a moment, and then tucked the spare pair of gloves into the pockets of his coat for safekeeping.

* * *

**…  
**

* * *

He stayed on the couch the first few nights. He didn't even ask to join her in the bed, just sprawled out on the couch with a blanket. And she appreciated the gesture, she did. He was giving her space, letting her know they could move slowly, he wasn't going anywhere. But the bed felt so empty, and she was tired of feeling so far _away_ from him.

So on the fourth night, when she'd yawned one too many times and there was no fighting sleep, she stood from the couch. He was at the fireplace, putting out the fire when she walked by, and took his hand, their fingers folding together. "My feet are cold…"

He looked down at her, mouth tilted faintly. "Through both pairs of socks?"

She rolled her eyes and bumped her elbow against his ribs. "Shut up."

He walked close to her as they made their way to the bedroom. Behind them, Mina climbed up onto the couch and curled into the blanket left behind.

Bonnie went through her usual bedtime routine while Damon stripped the blanket and sheet back from the bed before climbing in on his side. He read a chapter of the book he'd left behind on the table, folding the page down when she finally climbed in on the other side.

She flipped her own lamp off before sliding lower on the bed, resting on her back, feeling tense and unsure.

He followed suit, lasting two heartbeats before he turned over onto his side to face her.

She turned her head to see him in the dark, and reached a hand out, letting the knuckle of her forefinger glide over his cheek.

His hand slid over her stomach, fingers splayed.

Bonnie turned herself over, her back pressed to his front, and covered his hand with her own, fingers sliding in between his.

He kissed her shoulder, mouth lingering a long moment, and the tension bleed out of her. She could feel him breathing against her back, steady and rhythmic. And this felt right.

She slept better than she had in months.

* * *

**…  
**

* * *

"I missed you."

Bonnie looked up from the dish she was drying while she sat atop the counter.

Damon wasn't looking at her, his gaze downward, at the bowl he was washing in the sink. "Sometimes I'd tell myself I was being an idiot, that I should just go home, see you, _talk_ to you… I knew that made more sense than what I was doing, but… I don't know." He half-smiled, but it was empty. "Sometimes I think I _like_ hurting myself. I do it enough, there's gotta be reason."

She tucked the plate down on the stack she was making by her hip. "Can't be easy. If you think everything you've ever done in a relationship only ends up blowing up in your face, then you can't really trust your instincts. So what _do_ you trust, right?"

He nodded, his lips pursed. "The two biggest relationships I had before this were… _wrong_. They were wrong before they started and they only got worse after. And the common factor there was _me_." He looked up at her. "I don't take a lot of responsibility for the things I've done wrong. Or I didn't. _Before_. But I made a lot of mistakes. With Katherine, with Elena, with just about every woman I've ever crossed paths with. I didn't want to add you to the list. I mean…" He shrugged. "I was no saint before this. I turned your life upside down and inside out. Half the time, I can't believe you gave me a second chance, or a third or whatever number we're even on now. But, I need you to know I'm not wasting it. I'm still figuring it out myself, but I don't think I'm the same man I was before all this happened."

"I don't think so either. You still drive me _crazy_ some days…" she admitted.

He snorted.

"But not like you did before. You are who you are, Damon. And maybe it's not perfect, but none of us are. And up until it started interrupting our relationship, I never had a problem with that. I didn't fall in love _blindly_. I knew who you were and what you'd been through and who you loved before me. Just like I know who you _are_ and how you've grown and how much you love me… Or I did. Until things changed, and then I wasn't sure where I stood anymore." She dropped her gaze to the bowl he handed to her.

"I fucked up. But I won't do it again. I'm not gonna make the same mistakes, over and over again."

She nodded. "And I won't let you. I'm not gonna be that mat people walk over, the one who stays even thought she knows she shouldn't… I'm here, because I _believe_ you. Because, despite everything, I think you really do want to make this better. But if it's just words, if it doesn't change, or if, six months from now, we get stuck in the same rut, then there's no more second chances." She licked her lips. "I'm not saying we won't fight. We will. It happens. But we need to work it out, not bury it or hide from it or any of that. We _talk._ We lay it all out. And if it works, it works. If it doesn't, then we let go."

He stared at her a long moment, and then dipped his chin. "Okay."

"Okay."

He half-smiled then, and flicked his fingers, spraying water at her face. When she cried out and swiped her towel at him, he stole it and wiped his hands dry. "You want dessert? We've got pumpkin pie."

"Sure." She took the towel back and finished drying off the dishes before hopping down to put them away.

* * *

**…  
**

* * *

" _Hey_ …" His voice was little more than a whisper, but it still managed to wake her up.

Bonnie's nose scrunched up and she rolled onto her back. "Wha' time's it?" she mumbled.

"Early. Come on. I wanna show you something."

Bonnie sighed sleepily, and slowly opened her eyes. "It can't wait until later?"

He stared down at her, already dressed in dark jeans and a red plaid, his unzipped jacket overtop. "Could. But I'm not that patient." He held her coat up. "It'll be worth it."

She pursed her lips, but pushed up from the bed. "Fine…"

It took her a few minutes, and she wished she had more time to shower, but eventually she joined him in the living room in thick pants, a sweater, wool socks, and her jacket. "So?" She pulled her boots on and looked up at him expectantly.

He swung the door open and motioned for her to step outside. Bonnie eyed him dubiously, but stepped through the door and out onto the porch. It had snowed overnight. The ground was covered in a thick layer of white powder, glistening under the sun, untouched by feet, smooth and pretty.

She stepped up to the edge of the porch and looked out over the scene in front of her. The lake had long frozen, but now the ice was completely covered in snow. The trees were dressed in it too, branches weighed down heavily. Mina suddenly bounded forward and jumped into the snow, barking excitedly as she hopped around. Bonnie smiled.

And then a snowball swiped her backside and she turned, wide-eyed, to find Damon giving her a cheeky grin. He tossed a second snowball in the air and caught it. "This is me declaring war, Bon-Bon. You've got a thirty-second head start."

She stared at him for a second, at the stretch of smile across his lips, and her heart thumped. "You're on, Salvatore." She hopped down the stairs and took off, bending to gather snow in her palm as she went.

An hour later, she was left laying in the snow, arms and legs out like she'd stopped mid-snow angel. She was panting, chest heaving with each breath, and her cheeks hurt from laughing, but it felt good. _Amazing_ , even. Like that piece of her that was missing, the joy and lighthearted peace she'd once had, was slowly mending itself back into her.

Damon collapsed next to her. "Call it even?"

Bonnie turned to look at him, and then, with a swing of her arm, landed one last clump of snow on his chest. "Bennetts never lose."

He grinned back at her. "I can live with that."

* * *

**…  
**

* * *

Damon was stoking the fire, while Bonnie sat tucked in a corner of the couch, blanket across her lap and a book open but going unread. It'd been a week, but in a strange way, it felt both more and less than that. In another week, they'd be expected back at work, but for right now, they didn't have to think about that. It was just them.

"Hey," she called out.

He turned, eyebrows hiked curiously.

She nodded her head toward the empty seat beside her. "Come read with me."

The corner of his mouth hitched up faintly. Standing, he dusted his hands off and made his way over. "You gonna read to me, Little Bird?" He took a seat next to her, close enough that their shoulders were pressed together. "Is it raunchy?"

She rolled her eyes. "Nope."

"Pity." He turned, head falling into her lap, and stole the book from her hands, settling it on his chest.

Rather than protesting, she reached across and pointed to where she'd left off. Damon took up mid-sentence and began to read aloud.

Bonnie rested her head back against the couch and closed her eyes, letting his voice fill the room, and her, and the shrinking cracks between them.

* * *

**…**

* * *

Bonnie took a final look around the cabin. Their luggage was tucked away in the car, Mina was getting one last run out before the drive home, and it looked like they'd managed to grab everything they'd brought with them. Originally, she'd hoped that coming out to the cabin would be a good chance for them to reconnect and, while it hadn't been as smooth as she expected, that was what it ended up being. They were still working things out, but she could feel her hopes rising with each day. **  
**

Of course, it was easy to say things were fixed when there was nothing in the way. He started back at work tomorrow, which meant that was when the real work would start. Would he return to his workaholic ways, staying out 'til all hours of the night, or would he come home?

Swinging the door closed, she locked it, and turned on her heel to walk down the stairs.

Damon closed the trunk of the car and called Mina over, opening the back door for her to hop inside. "You wanna drive?"

Bonnie shook her head. "I'm still tired." It wasn't a long drive back to the house, but it was long enough that she could doze a little.

Circling around to the passenger side, Bonnie climbed in, and leaned her seat back a few inches. An excited Mina leaned over to lick her cheek, tail wagging, and then moved to the window, sniffing at it.

As Damon pulled the car away from the cabin and pulled out onto the dirt road leading back toward town, Bonnie stared at it through the side window, watching it grow smaller and smaller.

Fingers brushed over hers. She turned, half-smiling as Damon wound his hand in hers and squeezed. He raised it up and pressed a kiss to her knuckles before he laid it back down, thumb rubbing over hers.

Maybe, just this once, things would be easy.

* * *

**ABBEVILLE, TEXAS – 2014  
**

* * *

Stefan dragged a hand over his mouth, wiping away a smear of blood. He dug his phone out with a shaking hand and dialed Caroline, panting as he raised it to his ear. It rang, over and over, before finally going to her voicemail.

" _Hey, you've reached Caroline! I can't come to the phone right now, so just leave a message and I will get back to you as soon as possible! Thanks, byyye._ "

Closing his eyes, he cursed under his breath, and hung up. Thumbing in Lucy's number, he listened to it ring as he leaned out from the wall to check around the corner. He couldn't hear anyone coming, but they'd managed to mask themselves before.

" _I'm busy. Leave a message and I'll call you when I feel like it._ "

Grinding his teeth, Stefan shook his head. "Lucy, it's Stefan. You're late, and it was an ambush. I got the amulet, but Caroline and I were separated. Call me back."

Just as he was hanging up, he caught it, the scent of burning sweet grass.

They were coming.

* * *

**…  
**

* * *

Caroline pressed a hand to the wound in her side, wincing as she did. Blood squelched under her fingers and soaked through her shirt. She hurried her steps, but her leg was injured, making her limp. The vervain they'd shot her with was keeping her slow and her healing was basically non-existent for the moment. But she needed to keep going. They weren't far behind.

"Stupid plan," she muttered under her breath. "'Oh, it'll be easy. Your basic distract and snatch.' _Ugh_. Never doing this again…"

She paused as she caught it. That burnt smell. Turning her head, she cast her eyes around, searching for some sign of them. It was pointless, she knew. They'd masked themselves last time; appearing almost completely invisible to the eye until they were just close enough to attack.

Her heart skipped in her chest, and then she turned and hurried. It wasn't much of a run, her foot was dragging, and the pinch in her side made every jarring step feel like she was being stabbed all over again. But there was no way she was going to die out here by some crazy, vampire-eating, Witches from Eastwick _rejects_.

Gritting her teeth, Caroline gathered all of her strength and pushed herself to go faster. But just as she felt like she was getting away from that damning smell, it hit her again, more potent than before. She wasn't quick enough to stop, instead stumbling right into the enemy, and the blade in their hand. It sunk deep into her belly and she stared up, mouth gaping, at the smirking head-witch. Marielle Ducasse.

"Going somewhere?" she asked, French accent lilting.

Caroline choked as Marielle twisted her wrist and metal tore through her guts.

Drawing the blade out, good and slow, Marielle shook her head. "I did not think so."

* * *

**…  
**

* * *

"Where the hell _were_ you?" Stefan shouted, glaring down at the battered witch sitting on the end of the hotel bed, her jeans caked with mud and her shirt damp with sweat and blood.

"A little indisposed, _thanks_." Lucy sneered up at him. "Where's Caroline?"

His jaw ticked. "We got separated. They made sure we ran in different directions. If she's not here…"

Lucy shook her head. "She's not."

"They have her." He closed his eyes a moment and inhaled through his nose. Pissed, he flipped a nearby dresser, tossing it so hard it crashed into a wall and fell to pieces. "Damn it!"

"I know where they are. Or, I know where they were keeping me. By the looks of it, that's where they keep most of their victims. There's enough vervain down there to stock up a whole damn town… Or torture countless vampires while they make _dinner_ out of them."

Rubbing his hands over his face, Stefan took a deep breath, searching for composure. "Okay. _Okay_. What do we do?"

"We load up on weapons and storm the castle… With reinforcements."

"Reinforcements?" He shook his head. "We're too far away. I—I don't know how long it would take for Elena and everyone to get here. But it'd be _too_ long. Caroline could be— She might not even be—" He swallowed tightly. "We don't have time to waste."

"No, we don't. Which is why I've been calling in a few favors. Reinforcements will be here in an hour, tops. And they're bringing the big guns."

Stefan raised an eyebrow. "How big?"

Lucy smirked. " _Big_."

* * *

**…  
**

* * *

Caroline stared up at the ceiling, counting the cracks, big and small, that ran across it in various directions. Maybe if she put all of her attention there, she wouldn't feel the knife as it… _Oh god_ … flayed the skin from her leg. Tears bit at her eyes, but she kept them focused above. She clenched her teeth so hard they struggled under the pressure, and breathed in and out through her nose, her chest heaving.

"What is the matter, Caroline? You do not like to converse over dinner?" Marielle asked, her voice light and airy, a laugh hidden in its depths.

"Six, seven, eight…" They really needed someone to come in and fix the ceiling or it would cave in on them someday. Actually, scratch that. She hoped it _did_ cave in one day, and crush all of their pretty little heads. "Twelve, thirteen, fourteen…"

"You are doing well. Some vampires, they just cannot take torture like they used to. _C'est pathétique._ They whimper and cry and beg for forgiveness." Her accent seemed to thicken as she reminisced. "But some… some fight it. Them, I enjoy. It is… intoxicating. Invigorating, even. _Well_ , for me at least. For them, I suspect, it is not as enjoyable. But we make do. And I must say, I do so enjoy my work." Stepping up the table, she paused next to Caroline's head. "Now, before I begin carving your beautiful face. _Quel gâchis_ … Why not answer some questions for me, huh?" She pressed the tip of the blade down against Caroline's cheek. "Like, where is my amulet, and _who_ was bold enough to send you to steal it?"

"Thirty-eight, thirty-nine, fort..." She trailed off in a hiss as the knife pierced the soft flesh of her cheek.

" _Ceci est ma partie préférée_ …" Marielle told her. "I find it is the most tender."

* * *

**…  
**

* * *

The smell was _vile_. It filled the whole place; rotting flesh and burning sweet grass. It was dizzying; the meaning of it all. Of what could be happening. Of _whose_ flesh could be… Stefan swallowed thickly, bile burning at his throat.

"Ready?" Lucy asked.

Stefan nodded, more because his tongue felt two sizes too big, heavy in his mouth. He coughed to clear his throat and said, "Hard to imagine a witch needing a gun."

She glanced down at the sleek, black 9mm in her hand and shrugged. "Magic takes time, energy. I squeeze the trigger and this whole mess ends a whole lot quicker."

"And bloodier."

She arched an eyebrow at him. "Hard to imagine a vampire worried about a little spilled blood."

He tipped his head. _Touché_.

Cocking the gun, she moved along the wall, her eyes narrowed as she took a good look around. "Besides, these aren't your average witches…"

"You mean you don't like your vampires flayed for dinner?"

"I usually like my vampires _dead_ , but I've been more lenient lately." She frowned over at him. "I know you're worried about Caroline…"

"Understatement," he muttered under his breath.

"But so am I." She took a deep breath. "If she's alive—"

" _She is_." He had no idea if that was true, to be honest, but he refused to say, or believe, otherwise. It was _Caroline_. Losing her… He couldn't. And he knew her; she was a survivor.

Lucy chose not to argue, simply nodding instead. "Then we'll get her out."

* * *

**…  
**

* * *

Caroline didn't recognize the witch leaning over her, but they were all beginning to blur together at this point. She'd lost a lot of blood, and more skin than she cared to think of. But Marielle seemed to be keeping her alive for something. Information, possibly, though Caroline hadn't spilled a word. Maybe she was waiting for Stefan and Lucy to swoop in and save her. One extra vampire for dinner and interrogation. Her heart thumped in her chest. She hoped they stayed away. The last thing she wanted was Stefan or Lucy strapped to a table on either side of her, going through the same agony she'd been put through.

Blinking through hazy eyes, she tried to focus on the woman staring down at her. Dark skin, brown eyes, and springy brown curls. She was beautiful, high cheekbones and full lips.

"Caroline Forbes?" she asked, her accent adding a Southern twang.

Brow furrowed, Caroline dipped her chin. "Who're you?" she choked out. Her throat was dry from screaming. The pain couldn't be trapped between clenched teeth and numbers any more.

" _Help_. I know Lucy. She and your boy are… Well, to put it mildly, they're cleaning house." She grinned, a vicious satisfaction gleaning through. "How's about we get you up and outta here? How's that sound?"

Caroline squeezed her eyes shut when tears blurred them. " _Please_ ," she huffed.

The woman moved down the table to unlatch the straps over her ankles and returned to do the same to her wrists and neck.

"What's your name?"

"Nola." She slid an arm under Caroline and helped her sit up. "Just your friendly, neighborhood ass-kickin' witch."

Caroline wheezed a laugh. "My favorite kind." She winced as she shifted her legs off the table and slid down to stand, knees wobbling under her. "In fact, my best friend is one… She's the reason we were here…"

"She know you're getting yourself all tangled up like this for her?" Nola raised an eyebrow and took most of Caroline's weight against her side as she helped her walk.

Caroline shook her head wobbily. "No, no, she… She's gone. But it's temporary. She'd never let me do this…" A strangled laugh left her.

Nola looked down at her, her brow furrowed. "Sounds like she has a good head on her shoulders. Too bad things of that nature don't rub off on people..."

She snorted.

There was a barrage of noise then, like bullets, and Caroline stiffened.

"It's okay. They know what they're doing." Nola led Caroline around the back of the room and through a door. It fed into a long, damp hallway, the length of which was more than a little daunting. But Caroline kept her feet moving, bloody handprints left along the walls in her wake.

When they finally reached the door at the end and it swung open, cool air was sucked deep into her lungs. The night sky was clear, the stars bright and twinkling. Caroline stared up at them a long moment, her legs struggling not to give out under her.

"Just a little longer now. We're almost there."

"Where are we going?" she wondered, dragging her gaze from the sky and turning toward the woman beside her.

Nola half-smiled. "Somewhere safe."

Caroline mustered up a faint smile of her own. "That'd be nice."

* * *

**…  
**

* * *

Stefan stared at the table in front of him, where Caroline's dried blood was still staining the metal. He looked at the cuffs that had held her down, at the scalpel on a nearby table, used to hurt her. His gaze paused on the chunk of her hair that had been cut off and tied together with a red ribbon. Plucking it up, he rubbed his thumb over it, still soft and shiny.

There was blood on his hands, on his shirt, speckled on his skin from where he'd torn into the witches, into Marielle Ducasse, separating her head from her shoulders. He hadn't tasted her blood; the mere idea turned his stomach. But he had killed her, and he would do it again, without hesitation.

"She's not dead."

Stefan turned, blinking at Lucy as she stepped toward the table. "How do you know?"

"They needed her alive. They needed information about the amulet… They were keeping her here to lure us back. Besides…" She grimaced. "They take their time with their food."

It wasn't much to go on, but it was something.

"Can you track her?" he wondered, handing the hair to her.

Lucy plucked it from his outstretched fingers, and her face went stiff with determination. "I'll find her."

* * *

**…  
**

* * *

Caroline lay stretched out across the back seat of the SUV, unconscious, her hands folded together and pressed to her chest, as if to protect herself from some unseen enemy. Every once in a while, she would make a noise; a cry, a whimper. _Nightmares_. Given what she'd been through at the hands of Ducasse and her coven, it was no surprise.

Nola checked on her through the rear-view mirror and then turned her gaze forward once more.

Caroline hadn't been easy to track down. She'd been on the move for so long, bouncing from place to place, and Nola had always been a step behind. Getting past Lucy Bennett was no easy thing; she'd had to keep her distance, stay out of sight, and bide her time. But she'd seen the opportunity when it arose and she'd taken it.

The highway sped past in a blur; they were making good time.

It wouldn't be long now.

* * *

**NINE YEARS  
**

* * *

"Ugh, I've _missed_ you…" Naomi squeezed her tight as they hugged, rocking side to side.

"It was two weeks." Bonnie laughed. "But I missed you too."

"Bet your ass you did." Naomi grinned as she let her go and stepped back. "You look better too. _Lighter_."

"I am. I got some things off my chest that needed to be said." She motioned to the cashier's till before she moved to check what was in the drawer. "How about you? How was your Christmas?"

"I can tell you what it wasn't. _Quiet_." Shaking her head, Naomi sighed. "I tell you, I'm _glad_ the holiday is over. Kids are back in school, and I can get some rest. Carissa took them out last Sunday, so I finally got a chance to sleep in. It was _beautiful_. I can't remember getting that much sleep in _years_."

"They liked everything though? I looked all over for that art set for Jasmine."

"She _loves_ it. And thank you. That's probably the only gift she got that doesn't make noise."

Bonnie snorted. "Glad to help."

"Mmhmm." Leaning on the check out counter, Naomi raised an eyebrow. "So? You ready to get back to work? I'm hoping those coupons we put out help sales."

"Everybody loves coupons. And this way we can get rid of some of our old stock, start things out fresh."

"All right, but if we run out of any of those sage and honey candles and someone asks you if we have any in the back, _lie_. I'm taking them all for myself."

With a laugh, Bonnie shook her head. "I'll keep it in mind."

The bell rang then, as the front door swung open and a customer entered. Seeing as the store had only been open ten minutes, they were each a little surprised they already had someone walking the aisles.

Bonnie wiggled her eyebrows at Naomi cheerfully. " _Coupons_."

* * *

**…  
**

* * *

Bonnie could hear him coming down the hallway, talking to Mina. Biting down on a smile, she rolled over, pushing the blanket back as she shifted to sit up. He was backing into the room, Mina hot on his heels, as she said, "You've brought me breakfast in bed every day for a week. I thought we were getting back to our usual, not raising the bar."

Damon grinned as he crossed the room and handed her a bowl of fruit salad and a plate with a bagel smeared in cream cheese. "I've got a lot of lost time to make up for." He took a seat beside her and Mina followed, laying down on his legs and peering up at Bonnie in hopes of getting some of her scraps.

"So you plan on making it up to me through food?" She tore off a bite of her bagel with her teeth. "I'm not knocking it. Just asking…"

"Nope. The food is just a start." He stacked his hands on his stomach. "I talked to Chris. He and Brandon are working things out, so I started thinking… We traded off nights at the bar to save money, but we're doing pretty good. Not hard when you're the only real bar in the whole town… Anyway, Chris double-checked the finances and it looks like we can hire a full-time night manager. We're gonna interview a few people this week, see who fits. And I figure, now that I've got all my nights free, we can get back to basics… We can start slow. I hear the pot at Bingo is up to a whole three hundred dollars." His eyes flashed wide teasingly.

Spearing a piece of apple with her fork, she looked back at him. "Fine. But only if you bring something for luck. Doris always brings those creepy troll dolls, but she also _wins_ , so..."

"Okay, but Doris also spends more than she wins back," he pointed out. " _Still_. I'll look around, see if I can find a shiny _penny_ somewhere."

Her mouth hitched up one side. "Okay. Then… it's a _date_."

"Great!" He leaned over and popped a kiss on her cheek. "I'm gonna hop in the shower. I already took Mina for a run this morning, so she should be fine. What time are you heading to work?"

Bonnie glanced at the clock on the bedside table. "An hour or so…? I have some inventory to look over first."

He hummed and stood from the bed. "What about lunch? You busy?"

She tipped her head curiously. "Won't you be at the bar?"

"Yeah. I was thinking you could stop by… We can eat together. I'll ask Jin Sun to make your favorite."

She chewed her lip and nodded. "Sure. I can drop by around 12, 12:30. I'll call closer to it."

"Sounds good." He rubbed a hand over Mina's head before he left, crossing the hall to the bathroom.

Bonnie leaned back against the pillows and chewed on an apple piece while Mina crawled up the bed to lay against her side and let out a sleepy sigh.

Things were mending themselves, and it felt… _good_. Maybe they would never be exactly what they were, but that overwhelming feeling of tension and _wrongness_ had let up. She could see he was trying. Not just with the breakfast in bed stuff, although it was sweet, but just by _being_ there, by _listening_ to her. He was throwing himself into their relationship, and mending it, full force, and it was working.

* * *

**…  
**

* * *

"Hey!"

Damon looked up from the bar and grinned. " _Hey_. What're you doing here? I thought you were on daddy-duty tonight."

Danny shrugged as he took a seat and drummed his hands atop the bar. "Carla's got this new mommy class she's taking. I don't know. Sofia really likes it. So I was thinking, since you get off early, maybe we could hang out. Feels like we haven't seen each other in a while."

Damon nodded. "Sure. Bonnie's got her dance class tonight. Besides, she's probably sick of my face at this point. She'd probably pay you to take me off her hands for a few hours."

Danny snorted. "I'll do it for free. What do you wanna do?"

He shrugged. "Have some dinner, play some pool?"

"Yes! And karaoke!" Danny lit up. "I wanna get my groove on."

"Not sure you've ever had a groove. If you did, it's been missing a while. We should put it on a milk carton or something."

Laughing, Danny shook his head. "Not my fault you don't appreciate the swing of these hips."

Damon grimaced. "Keep your hip swinging to yourself and your wife. That poor, _poor_ woman."

"Whose hips are we talking about?" Chris wondered as he wandered over.

"Danny's. We're hanging out. Food, beer, and pool. You in?"

Chris looked over at him, hesitated, but then nodded. "Sure. I'll let Brandon know I'll be home late. I think he's got a pottery class he's taking anyway."

"Cool."

As Chris walked off, digging his phone out of his pocket, Damon looked back to Danny, who had a brow raised.

"You two figure your shit out?"

"What do you mean?" He wiped the bar down to distract himself. "What shit?"

Danny scoffed. "You two've been weird since Christmas. I'm not an idiot. I figured it out. Chris was fooling around on Brandon. You found out, kept it to yourself, had some kind of personal crisis… Just wondering if you guys are over it yet."

"Yeah. I don't know." He shrugged. "He's working it out with Brandon, I'm making it up to Bonnie, and we're… _Whatever_. He's my best friend. _One of_ ," he corrected, at Danny's offended expression. "It's just taking some time to adjust to things. I might've put him on a pedestal."

"People always fall off those." Danny half-smiled. "You're okay?"

He nodded. "Better than I was last month. So that's something."

"Good. I don't know who I'd pick if you and Chris divorced. It'd be awkward."

"I'd let Chris have you, and when he got tired of your shit dancing and cheesy puns, I'd _graciously_ take you back."

Danny laughed.

"I'm good for the night," Chris said as he re-joined them. "And Devi's in the back, ready to take over. So anytime you guys wanna get a table and get some food, I'm good."

"I'm starving," Damon said, circling the bar. "I'm feeling nachos, how about you guys?"

" _Yes!_ " Danny agreed. "Extra cheese, extra olives, and double guac."

Chris smiled. "I'll get us a pitcher of beer."

Damon slid into a seat at the table and let out a happy sigh. Everything was getting back on track.

* * *

**…  
**

* * *

"Mmm… I know that smell! Tell me that's Gram's hot chocolate…" Damon tugged his gloves off and blew hot air into his palms, kicking the door closed behind him. A little snow fell in a clump from his heavy boots.

A cheerful Mina ran over to meet him. She circled his legs, body vibrating with excitement, as he walked into the kitchen.

Bonnie smiled from her seat on the couch. "It's Gram's hot chocolate…There's marshmallows in the cupboard too."

" _Yes_." Damon grabbed out a large mug and filled the bottom with marshmallows before ladling hot chocolate from the pot into his cup. He breathed in the scent happily and made his way around the couch to sit with her.

Bonnie drew her legs back and then stretched them out as he sat down, resting her feet in his lap.

Damon's free hand circled her ankle, squeezing gently.

Tipping her head back, she took a look outside and shook her head. "It's still coming down pretty hard."

"Yeah, we're taking a break, but it's not letting up much." He put his mug aside to shrug his jacket off and dropped it in a heap at his feet. "This looks cozy. You've got your hot chocolate and a fire going. I think I'm jealous, Bon-Bon."

Her mouth hitched up on one side. "You're the one that offered his plowing services…"

He smirked. "Who am I to deny _anyone_ my plowing services?"

She laughed, rolling her eyes. "Shut up." She dug her heel into his thigh, but he scrubbed his fingers down the bottom of her foot until she jumped at the sensation and tried to pull her feet back.

Shaking his head, he kept hold of her ankle, and then turned over, crawling up the couch, drawing her legs around his waist as he went.

Bonnie put her book aside to look down at him, his chin balanced on her sternum. She rubbed her knuckles over his flushed cheek. "Cold," she murmured.

"Mmhmm." He crawled a little higher and buried his face at her neck. "You should warm me up."

"You have time for that?" she wondered.

"I always have time to make out." He kissed up her neck and nuzzled her ear, his hands sliding underneath her shirt, chilly against her warm skin. She shivered, and bit down on her lip.

"What about you?"

Eyes fluttering to half-mast, she nodded, and wrapped her arms around him. "I can make time…"

* * *

**…  
**

* * *

"What about this? You think she'd like this?" Kayla wondered, holding up a pale pink cashmere sweater.

Damon looked up from his phone and pursed his lips. "Remind me again how you roped me into going _shopping?_ "

She grinned. "Bonnie's birthday is this weekend and I didn't have a gift. _You_ wanted her to have an awesome birthday, so here we are."

He hummed. "Fine. But she already has that sweater in blue."

"Well, maybe she wants it in _pink_."

He raised an eyebrow. "Sure. Toss it in the cart and let's get out of here."

Frowning now, she shook her head. "No, I want it to be special… What are _you_ getting her?"

"Is this an interrogation? I'm not letting you out-gift me. I put a lot of work into getting her the best gift."

Kayla rolled her eyes. "So what went into the reject pile then? What's the _second_ best gift?"

"I might need that for _Christmas_ …"

Exasperated, she stared up at him. "Come on. _Please_ ….?"

"Will it get me out of this mall quicker?"

She nodded rapidly, grinning now.

Sighing, he jerked his head to the side. "All right… Let's go."

Kayla hurried forward and then hopped onto the end of the cart, waving a finger in a circle. "Giddy up."

He blinked at her, but then pushed the cart forward, toward the gardening area. "She's been talking about how her green thumb's suffering. She picks a lot of the herbs she uses for work from the woods, but she's been saying she wants to plant a vegetable garden in the back. Ground's still frozen, so she can't plant anything right now, but that's perfect, because it means all the supplies will be cheap. _So_ … Let's stock up."

Kayla grinned, and turned her head to survey the garden area. "First things first… Where are those _giant_ straw hats…?"

Damon snorted.

* * *

**…  
**

* * *

Damon looked up as someone took a seat in front of him at the bar. His mouth settled into a line. "Chris isn't here."

Mak nodded, folding his hands together on top of the bar. "I'm not here for Chris."

Raising an eyebrow, Damon let out a snort. "Well, I'm a happily engaged man, so… You can try. But your chances are pretty slim. Don't let me stop you though. My ego can always use a good stroke."

Ducking his head to hide a grin, he stifled a laugh. "You're a good looking guy, Damon. But not my type."

" _False_. I'm everyone's type. They're just…" He shrugged, "not mine."

"Right. Anyway..." He shook his head. "I actually came by to apologize."

Damon blinked. "To _me?_ "

"I put you in an awkward position. It was clear you knew something was happening with me and Chris and you… didn't like it, but you respected his boundaries. I overstepped mine. I liked him, and I ignored the very obvious fact that I was getting in the way of a relationship. I can't apologize for what Chris did. That's his business. But I made some mistakes I'm not proud of… I can't talk to Brandon, and I'm sure he doesn't want to hear from me. And maybe this is just me trying to absolve my conscience, but I didn't want anyone to get hurt. That was never my intention. I just… _really_ liked him."

Staring at him a long moment, Damon nodded. "Yeah, I get it. He's a good guy."

"He is. And so are you. So, again, I'm sorry, for any problems I might've caused for you and Chris." He held his hand out in the hopes of a handshake.

While Damon hesitated, he did reach out to shake it. "Sure." He held on a moment too long though, and leaned forward. "You seem like a nice guy too, Mak. So I'm gonna frame this in the _least_ threatening way I know how… Chris is my best friend. I want the best for him. He's picked Brandon. So, if I see you around here, if I see you talking to him, or messing that up in any way… This won't end amicably, or with a handshake. And you're not gonna like the way it ends. So just don't. All right?"

Mak stared back at him, searching his face, and then nodded. "Okay."

"Good." He released his hand and then stepped back with a lighthearted smirk. "You want one last drink for the road?"

Mak's mouth tipped up at the corner. "Sure. What do you suggest?"

Damon dug out his most expensive bottle of bourbon and poured them each a glass. "To making better choices."

With a laugh, Mak raised his drink. "Cheers."

* * *

**…  
**

* * *

Damon found her in the kitchen, humming under her breath as she packed up the leftovers and put them away in the fridge. He walked over and plucked the straw hat from off her head, dropping it on his own. "You've been wearing this all night."

She grinned up at him. "It goes with my outfit."

He raised an eyebrow and took up her hand, giving her a twirl. "[You do look very... _floral_.](http://www.polyvore.com/bonnie_ch_15/set?id=198127903)"

"Thank you." She reached up to flick at the brim of the hat. "I'm not sure it suits you so much."

He scoffed. "I can pull anything off."

She laughed lightly. Reaching back, she grabbed the polaroid camera from the counter. "Thank you, for having it fixed. I know it's not your favorite…"

He shrugged. "I know how much you love it. Wasn't too hard to find someone that could get it running again."

She eyed him skeptically. "Really?"

"Well… it took some leg work. But it turned out okay. Camera's fixed and you're all stocked up to fill _three_ scrapbooks." He wrapped an arm around her waist and drew her close. "Happy birthday."

She smiled. "Thank you." Wiggling, she turned herself around, her back to his chest. "Now say _cheese_ …" She held the camera up.

Damon perched his chin on her shoulder, straw hat still in place and pressed a sloppy kiss to her cheek.

Bonnie laughed as she pushed the button.

* * *

**…  
**

* * *

"Can I ask something?" Naomi speared a fry with her fork.

"Sure." Bonnie sipped at her ice water, brows hiked. "Ask away."

Naomi glanced at Bonnie's bare hand. "You haven't been wearing your engagement ring. I don't think I've seen it since before Christmas…" She eyed Bonnie curiously. "I know you and Damon are working things out. He's been _especially_ dedicated to spending time with you. And you seem… _happy_. Happier than you were before Christmas." She forked up another fry. "And I know you're still planning the wedding. I have an invitation on my fridge that proves it. So… what's the hold up?"

Bonnie looked down at her hand. "I think… I guess I'm waiting for the other shoe to drop."

Naomi hummed, but waited for Bonnie to elaborate.

"For as long as I can remember, if something was going good, it was bound to blow up in my face. And, I don't know. I thought maybe it was different here. It's not how it used to be. It isn't… It's not _dangerous._ People don't expect me to sacrifice myself for them. Which is… it's a relief, honestly. But some part of me keeps waiting for the fallout. I thought maybe when things started going south with Damon, that was it. He'd walk away and I'd have to pick up the pieces again. But… he didn't. He's fighting and he's doing all the right things and I know he means it. I _know_ he loves me. I just—"

"Don't want to get hurt again." Naomi stared at her knowingly. "I ever tell you about my ex husband? The kids' dad?"

Bonnie shook her head, gnawing at her lip. "No. I never asked because it seemed, I don't know, a sore subject, I guess."

"Yeah, it is." She licked her lips, and sat back against the chair. "Harold was… He was an angry man. Didn't need much to spark that temper. Sometimes I try to think back to the beginning, to what made me think he was different, that he was worth spending my life with. But I can't… I don't remember a time when he was _good_. Not in the way people should be… It took me a long time to leave Harold. Too long, if I'm being honest.

"There's not a lot I can credit him with. He gave me my kids. I wouldn't give them up for anything in the world. But in the end, being with Harold taught me one thing: that I deserved _better_. Leaving him was a lesson I taught myself in self-love. Self-respect. And it wasn't easy. It was the hardest damn thing I ever did. But I _forgave_ myself. For all the days I stayed. All the times I _believed_ him. Every word he spoke that ripped a hole in my soul. I forgave myself for staying. For listening. For not pulling myself up out of it sooner. And when I forgave myself, when I _loved_ myself, I knew I'd never let anyone do it again. I'd never hang my head when I should be _proud_ of myself and what I'd done and the life I built and the kids I raised."

She reached across the table then, fingers tapping the bottom of Bonnie's chin. "When you forgive yourself for letting people disrespect you, when you know your own worth, then all the shoes in the world can drop. But you got _you_. You've got your life and your accomplishments and your strength. So you can live your life fearing the day it falls apart, or you can make your life what you want it to be. With or without Damon, you make this life as good as you want it to be, because you _deserve_ that."

Bonnie stared at her a long moment, and then swallowed. "I don't say it enough, but I really love you, Naomi. You're my best friend. And I'm so glad I met you."

Naomi grinned lightly. "I feel the same way, honey."

Bonnie took Naomi's hand from her chin, and held on tight.

* * *

**…  
**

* * *

It was late. Damon had taken on a few extra night shifts since Devi had come down with the flu, so he was going over the books at the bar, head bent low.

Bonnie was sweaty. She was still in her dance gear and her hair was tied up in a lopsided knot, just to keep it out of her face. Still, she crossed the room and dropped her chin down onto Damon's shoulder.

He jumped a little, startled from his thoughts, and turned his head, smiling as he saw her. "Hey… What're you doing here? I'm not off for a couple more hours."

She shrugged, and sighed, letting her eyes fall closed for a moment. Her arms wound around his waist loosely.

"Long night?" He covered one of her hands with his own.

"Mmhmm…"

Damon stroked his fingers over the back of her hand. "Okay." He dropped his pencil down atop the book and closed it. "C'mere."

She opened one eye curiously.

He grinned, and stood from the stool. Taking her hand, he stepped out of her hug and led her toward the dance floor, wiggling his eyebrows.

Her mouth kicked up at the corners. "I just finished dancing…"

"Sure." He gave her a twirl and drew her in. "But that wasn't with _me_." Arm around her waist, he led her in a little circle, swaying to the music, their other, joined hands, held above.

Bonnie sunk into it, pressing her face to his chest and letting him lead them around. They finished out that song and then danced through one more. Damon hummed along to the tune, the sound reverberating through his chest. And when they were done, he dipped her back. Bonnie smiled as she was brought back upright.

Damon dropped a kiss to the top of her head. "Hungry?"

"A little," she admitted.

"C'mon. You can eat and we can trade stories about our days. FYI, mine involves a drunk guy, a butter knife, and a tense game of tic-tac-toe…" He led her toward the kitchen, their fingers twined, and she smiled.

She was still tired, and sweaty, but the detour to Mina's was well worth it.

* * *

**…  
**

* * *

"Tell me again why we need to learn to dance? I already _know_ how to dance…" Danny complained, slumped on a chair.

"The wedding party has to dance at the reception." Damon shrugged. "I don't know. Bonnie just handed me the address on a piece of paper and said I had to drag you guys to it."

"I didn't force you to take dance lessons when _I_ got married."

"I didn't need them." He grinned. "I have _excellent_ coordination."

Danny raised an eyebrow. "You saying I don't?"

"I'm saying you have two left feet and if you ever had the ability to dance, it abandoned you in the middle of the night and never writes."

Chris laughed.

Danny rolled his eyes. "I got all the moves I need."

"We'll see about that." The dance instructor, an older gentleman with a mustache that would make the Old West jealous, walked toward them. "The groom?"

Damon held a hand up.

"Excellent. We'll go through a rigorous training session twice a week and have all of you prepared for the dancing portion of the evening. Now, let's get started." He turned on his heel and walked out to the center of the room.

Damon, Danny, and Chris exchanged a look before following after him.

* * *

**…  
**

* * *

Panting, Bonnie laid back against the pillows, an arm thrown over her face. She smiled. "You're gonna have to come up for air sometime."

Damon nipped at her thigh. "I don't know. I might just make a home down here. Settle in." He licked a stripe down her leg and nuzzled against the crease between her hip and her thigh. "There's plenty to _eat_..."

She laughed, deep and throaty, and slid a hand down, combing her fingers through his hair. The sheet shifted back onto his shoulders and he grinned up at her, light and happy, his eyes a bright blue.

Humming, she reached for his shoulder, and tugged. He slid out from under her legs and crawled up her body, dropping kisses from her stomach to her neck as he went.

Hitching her legs around his waist, she nodded. "Welcome home."

He grinned against her mouth and, with a little readjusting, pressed into her, warm and wet and _perfect_. Nipping around the edges of her lips, he said, a little breathless, "Wouldn't be anywhere else."

* * *

**…  
**

* * *

Bonnie was expecting a low key, even boring, day. She was closing shop early and didn't have any plans except to catch up on some reading and go over her inventory.

The bell rang, warning of a customer.

"For the record, green is not my color, and only makes me irrationally hate this holiday."

Bonnie looked up, smiling as an all-green Kayla walked to the front counter. "For someone who hates it, you've really dedicated yourself to St. Paddy's day."

She rolled her eyes. "Lisa signed us up to be part of the fair."

"Really?" Bonnie's mouth twitched. "I didn't see you as the fair type."

"I'm _not_ …" She sighed, resting an elbow on the counter. "But she was really excited about it, so we're working the balloon station." She checked her watch. "Which I should probably be at…"

"I'm about to close up. You wanna wait and I'll walk over with you?"

"Sure. I'll lock up the front."

"Great."

They split up, with Kayla switching the sign to closed and locking the door. She did a quick sweep with the broom while Bonnie grabbed her bag with her books, a few cinnamon candles, and her keys. After locking the storage room up, she and Kayla made their way out the back. They stopped by her car before making their way around to the front and crossing the street. The town center was filled with people, the fair in full swing.

For a moment, nostalgia hit Bonnie hard and she felt like she was back in Mystic Falls. She half-expected to hear an irritated Caroline ranting at someone for using the wrong shade of green on something. But there was no Caroline to be found.

Kayla spotted Lisa at the balloon area, tying one around a small girl with springy black curls, and they walked over to meet her.

Dressed in head-to-toe green, with sparkly glitter on half her face and a shamrock painted on her opposite cheek, Lisa grinned at them.

"Hey! You made it. I was starting to think you'd skipped out on me." Lisa handed a headband over to Kayla with little clover-shaped antennas. "Hey Bonnie. Happy St. Patrick's Day."

"Hey. Having fun?"

"Some jerk is glitter bombing people at random. He's hit me twice." She smiled, and waved at the little girl as she left before turning to Bonnie. "If he comes for me a third time, I'm considering how much time I'd get for tying balloons to him, Up!-style, and letting gravity do its worst."

She laughed. "Well, there'd be no shortage of witnesses… It looks like the whole town came out."

"Yeah, we'll make a party out of anything. If you haven't had a shamrock shake, you're missing out. They're also selling green lemonade over by the fountain."

"I'll keep my eyes open." Bonnie nodded her head toward the festivities. "I'm going to take a walk around. I'll see you two later."

"Cool. Hey, if you find those shakes, I'll owe you big if you bring me one back…" Kayla grinned at her, overly-innocent, and Bonnie snorted.

"I'll see what I can do." With a wave, she made her way out into the crowd and started wandering. Various vendors had set up tables, selling art, jewellery, and clothing. Thankfully, much of it had skipped the all-green expectation. She lingered at a table of necklaces, thinking of Naomi's upcoming birthday, and eventually found a necklace and earring set that was perfect.

"Hey, Bonnie!"

Looking up as she paid the vendor, she turned to see Annette walking toward her.

"Thank _god_. I have been stuck walking around this place like I wandered into a green twilight zone." Annette hooked her arm with Bonnie's. "I went looking for a milkshake and somehow got sucked into a hoe-down. I don't know what square dancing has to do with St. Patrick's Day, but there are a _lot_ of cowboys do-si-do'ing."

Bonnie laughed, taking the bag from the vendor and nodding her thanks before she moved on. "You find that milkshake? I've heard they're worth getting lost for."

She frowned. "No. I found a table selling green cookies, but I'm pretty sure they were wheatgrass. I like staying healthy, but they'll have to pry chocolate chip cookies out of my cold dead hands when I go."

Bonnie chuckled. "Well, let's see if we have better luck together. Kayla wanted me to pick one up for her. She's working the balloon station."

"Great. The only reason I'm here is for one of these shakes anyway. Every year, I get stuck wandering around. They sell out pretty quick too. One year, I actually managed to find it early, but they'd run out of ice cream."

"At worst, I suppose we could make our own."

"It's just not the same."

Smiling, Bonnie shook her head. "So why don't we ask directions?"

"And make it easy on ourselves? _Hardly_." She pointed. "Now, using my expert deduction skills, I spy a kid with a nearly full shake just over there… Let's follow the bread crumbs."

Amused, Bonnie kept stride with her as they walked off into the dense crowd. Well, at least her day wouldn't be boring.

* * *

**…  
**

* * *

Bonnie found him on the porch, a cold beer on the arm of the chair, his head back as he stared up at a star-lit sky. She took a seat in his lap and smiled as his arm wound around her, fingers splayed across her far hip.

Damon nuzzled against her neck, kissing her shoulder. "I have another dress fitting tomorrow," she told him. "I've been jogging with Mina, I'm a little worried it'll hang differently, so I made an appointment just to be sure…"

He looked up at her a long moment. "So does that mean…?" He paused, and then cleared his throat. "We haven't really talked about it. About the wedding. I'm still taking those god-awful dancing lessons, but…"

She chewed her lip a moment, and then shifted to see him better. "I know what it's like… to be insecure. To wonder if anyone's going to love you, love your _flaws_ … I know what it feels like to realize that your partner doesn't love you the same way you love them. I felt that, with Jeremy. When he cheated on me with Anna. I felt it growing up, wondering if anyone would ever look at me like they looked at Elena or Caroline. And I get that you were scared that you might do something wrong. You were right, your track record with love and relationships, it wasn't great. But… we're different. You and me, together, we're _different_.

"I'm not saying I didn't love Jeremy, or you didn't love Elena and Katherine. I'm saying that I love you _now._ And we've had our road bumps and our moments when I doubted it, but if I added up all the days that you made me feel like I was every star in your universe, they would outnumber every moment I ever felt scared or lost or unwanted…" Her eyes pricked with tears, but she closed them and took a deep breath. "So if you're sure that _you_ want this, that you're not going to wake up one day wanting something or some _one_ else, that you'll _talk_ to me if anything doesn't feel right, then… _Yes_."

He rubbed his hands up and down her arms and stared up at her. "I don't want anyone else. Not _ever_." He shook his head. "You're stuck with me, Bonnie Bennett. For as long as we both are dead."

She scoffed. "That was terrible."

"It was _witty_."

She shook her head. " _Awful_." And then she leaned down, pressing a lingering kiss to his lips.

He hummed. "We've got our entire afterlife to work on your sense of humor." Arms wrapped around her in a hug, he grinned as she groaned.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **french translations** :
> 
> " _C'est pathétique._ " - It is pathetic
> 
> " _Quel gâchis..._ " - Such a waste
> 
> " _Ceci est ma partie préférée…_ " - This is my favorite part.
> 
> _______________________
> 
>  **note** : this update took longer than expected, my bad. i thought i'd have more time once school ended, but then i got a job, which is going great, but took up more time than expected. and now i'm back in school, but it's thankfully a lot less consuming that it usually is... so far. on the bright side, the next chapter is already underway! it'll be the wedding, by the way. the entire chapter is the day before and the day of the wedding. so it's fluff and humor and smut overload. and then back to the other stuff, which should be picking up post-wedding. i'm thinking just a few more chapters before bamon returns to the land of the living. probably. hopefully...
> 
> the majority of the reception to the previous chapter was positive, though i did get a few people who didn't understand the motivation behind things. i felt i conveyed my reasons for it pretty well, so i won't get into it again. this chapter was all about healing and forgiveness and happiness, so i hope it was enjoyed. i'm excited for the next chapter, because it's got some great humor in it that i think y'all will like.
> 
> given the timing of this update, i'll just say fingers crossed we get some fantastic bamon in the season finale. ;)
> 
> thanks so much for reading. please try to leave a review!
> 
> \- **lee | fina**


	16. i do

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **face claim** : [C A S T](http://sarcasticfina.tumblr.com/eternity)
> 
>  **polyvore** : [Bonnie's Wedding Dress](http://www.polyvore.com/bonnie_wedding_dress_eternity/set?id=190880344) | [Bridal Extras](http://www.polyvore.com/bridal_collection_eternity/set?id=196990444) | Bridesmaid Dresses [Naomi and Kayla](http://www.polyvore.com/bridesmaid_dresses_eternity/set?id=192821131) [Carla and Annette](http://www.polyvore.com/bridesmaid_dresses_eternity/set?id=192821880) | [Bridesmaids Hair](http://www.polyvore.com/bridesmaid_hair_eternity/set?id=196989543)
> 
>  **music** : [say you won't let go - james arthur](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0yW7w8F2TVA)
> 
>  **head's up** : explicit smut at the tail end of the chapter!

**XVI**.

* * *

**NIGHT BEFORE THE WEDDING  
**

* * *

"So, getting married, that's exciting!"

Damon grinned up at the bubbly blonde woman currently dancing in front of him, sans a good portion of her glittery clothing. It was an apt description. She'd introduced herself with, "Hey, I'm Gracie, but you can call me Bubbles," and hadn't stopped smiling since.

"Yeah, I'm pretty happy with it. How about you, Bubbles? You got a mister or missus at home?"

She circled her hips and dropped down so she was resting her butt on the heels of her feet. The six-inch shoes she was wearing should've had her leaning precariously, but her balance was impeccable.

"Two. A mister and a missus."

Damon's brows arched.

She laughed, a musical giggle. "They know about each other, don't worry." Bobbing her head, she sang, " _We're all in this together_ …"

He snorted a laugh. "Live and let live, I guess."

Planting her hands on his knees, she thrust her chest forward and curved herself upward, rocking her shoulders and sliding her lace-covered boobs down his chest. "That's a perspective I can get behind," she said with a wink.

"So, what do the mister and missus think about you dancing?"

"Whatever makes me happy." She shrugged, and then turned around and planted herself in his lap, one arm back around his neck. "Mister's a banker. Good guy, funny, cute as a button. Missus works with animals. Smart as all get out and the sweetest person I've ever met." She ran her hands down her body, but hardly seemed to take notice of it, working on auto pilot for the most part. "I was dancing long before I met either of them. It's not for school or anything. I just like it." She dipped forward and then tossed her head back, hair slapping against his face.

He wrinkled his nose and blew air out from his lips to get any loose hair off his mouth.

"Sorry. Part of the routine. I've been thinking about getting rid of it. What do you think?"

"Well, from a previously very extensive appreciation for exotic dancers, I can say your form is great."

"But I talk too much, right? That's what all my customers say." She rolled her eyes. "It can get boring doing this. Sometimes I need a little stimulation. Mind wise, I mean." She turned, legs thrown over his hips and bounced herself in his lap, her hands behind his neck to keep herself steady.

Damon shrugged. "If this were a decade ago, I might've been the jerk that agreed with them. But, I like to think I've grown up some."

"That's nice. Is it the soon-to-be-wife's influence, do you think?"

"Partly, yes. But, I did some of the work myself, too."

She grinned at him. "Good for you."

"Out of curiosity, what _does_ go through your mind when you're dancing?"

Pushing up out of his lap, she turned herself around to face him, hands running up and down her body, her short nails shiny with blue nail polish. "Sometimes I start going over my grocery list in my head. When I get home, I plan on making this _amazing_ risotto… I love cooking. Do you cook?"

"I do. My missus can be a little dangerous in the kitchen."

She laughed lightly. "Lucky her that you know what you're doing then."

He smiled. "I'd tell her that, but then I might wake up with no eyebrows." He reached in his pocket for a wad of cash then. "Hey, not that I'm trying to get rid of you, this has been fun, but I have a friend who'd probably _love_ to meet you." He pointed toward Brandon across the room. "You're not really his type, but he loves food and talking."

Eyes lighting up, she plucked the money from his hand before she leaned over, popped a kiss on his cheek, and said, "Congrats on the wedding!"

"Thanks, Bubbles. Have a good night." He waved his fingers at her as she waked off, hips swaying and a bounce in her step. As she climbed into Brandon's lap with little more than a 'hello,' Damon snickered to himself.

Standing from his seat, Damon moved to the makeshift bar set up in Chris' basement and dug out a bottle of bourbon, a glass, and some ice.

"She seems friendly," Chris mentioned as he walked over.

"She _is_. Her name is Bubbles. She's a Pisces. She loves dancing, risotto, and both boys _and_ girls." He wagged a finger. "But she's in a healthy polyamorous relationship, so don't try to set her up with any friends."

He smiled. "Noted."

Walking around to take a seat on the couch, Damon sipped at his drink. "As bachelor parties goes, this isn't bad. I mean, it's no Hangover, but that's probably a good thing. I don't think I could pull off 'sunburned.'"

Chris laughed, and picked at the label on his bottle of beer. "You seem pretty laidback."

"Why shouldn't I? I sent Bubbles over to make friends with Brandon. I'm surrounded by my best friends. And tomorrow, I'll be a married man… You think the ring will chafe?"

"You wear that giant monstrosity every day." He motioned toward Damon's family ring. "Does _it_ chafe?"

"Only when I think about my dad."

Chris shook his head. "Six months ago, you were terrified you were going to ruin Bonnie's life."

"I hope this isn't part of your best man speech…"

"Now you don't look worried at all."

"Right. Because I've dealt with my insecurities."

"All of them?" Chris' brow arched.

"What am I? A basket of crazy cats. Yeah, I dealt with it."

Chris simply stared at him.

" _What?_ " Damon sighed.

"It's okay to have things you're still working on, Damon. We've all got baggage."

"Yes, and the majority of mine is labeled ' _dad_.'" He took another sip of his drink and frowned. "I'm not saying I'll be a perfect husband. I don't even think Bonnie _expects_ me to be a perfect husband. But, I'm gonna _try_." His eyes narrowed, brow furrowed with thought. "Look, all I really know for sure is that I love Bonnie, and if I'm going to spend the rest of my life with anyone, I want it to be her."

Chris smiled slowly, and nodded. "For the record, I think you're gonna be good at it."

"At what?"

"Being a husband." He reached over and clapped Damon's shoulder. "You've got this."

Damon turned to look at him a long moment, and then the corner of his mouth pulled up. "Thanks, brother."

A shriek could be heard then, and they turned to see Bubbles pulling Brandon up the stairs by his hand.

Damon blinked, then turned to Chris. "Twenty bucks says she's teaching him how to make an _amazing_ risotto…"

Chris laughed. "You're on."

* * *

"I don't think I've ever seen so many penis-shaped things in my life…" Bonnie's brows hiked as her gaze swept over the room. "Where did you _find_ all of this stuff?"

"A friend owns a sex toy shop." Carissa popped a hummus-dipped carrot into her mouth. "I called in a favor and she gave me all of this. You like it?"

"I don't even _know_." Bonnie laughed, watching a dizzy, blindfolded Annette stumble toward a poster pinned to the wall as she played 'Pin the Penis on the Stud.' "I don't hate it…"

"Bon— Bonnie!" A slurring Carla waved to get her attention. She pointed down at the bowl of punch in front of her. "The ice cubes… They're like little tiny penises!" She giggle-snorted against the back of her hand.

"I see that." Bonnie took another look around the room and shook her head. "There's more penis in this room than I've ever seen in real life."

Carissa's brows hiked, before she laughed. "Girl, me too."

Bonnie snorted. "You have an excuse. You're a lesbian."

"Sure, but I didn't figure it out right away."

"Really?"

"I think I _knew_ I liked women. But, I was in denial for a while. Convinced myself I liked men." She shook her head. "Anyway, that lead to a lot of really disappointing sex and unfulfilling relationships. Then around twenty-two I met my first girlfriend. _Aja_. And suddenly everything just… _made sense_."

"Wow."

Carissa nodded. "What about you? How many disappointing penises were there before Damon?"

She laughed. "Uh, _one,_ actually."

"Oh honey, I don't know if I should congratulate or pity you."

Bonnie grinned. "I had relationships, I just… I don't know. Life was hectic. So, the only long-term boyfriend I had that I slept with was Jeremy… He ended up cheating on me with an ex-girlfriend. But, then we gave it another try and— Yeah, things just weren't meant to be."

"And now you have Damon."

"Yes!" Her smile softened. "You know, back when we first met, I never would've put stock in the idea of us ending up together. I mean, we weren't even really friends. We fought all the time, over everything, just couldn't see eye to eye."

"Opposites attract. Fine line between love and hate. All that jazz? At least you're passionate."

"Oh, we're definitely that… But, it's more than that, too. I mean, he became my best friend. It's not just sex or passion, but trust and respect and knowing that I can always turn to him. I think that's why I'm not nervous about tomorrow."

Carissa stared at her a long moment, and then turned her gaze toward Naomi, who was nursing a martini as she and Kayla laughed at Annette's sloppy attempt to pin a penis to the cut-out's face. "When it's right, you know."

Bonnie nodded. "Yeah." She leaned over to bump her shoulder against Carissa's, who smiled, and bumped her back.

* * *

Damon waved to Bubbles as her car pulled out of Chris' driveway.

Brandon stood next to him. "I haven't met many, but she's officially my favorite stripper."

He raised an eyebrow. "Risotto was that good, huh?"

" _Amazing_."

Damon snorted. "Glad to hear it."

Crossing his arms over his chest, Brandon eyed him from the corner of his eyes. "You're chipper."

"It's only, what, three am…?" He checked his watch. "Three-ten."

"I don't know. I guess I always expect grooms to get cold feet or something." He shrugged. "You and Bonnie have been together a while, so I don't know why I'm surprised."

With a hum, Damon walked over to the deck swing and took a seat. Brandon followed him. "I never really planned on getting married. When I was younger, I didn't care much for the idea of being tied down. I had a few big relationships, figured I'd stick with them until I eventually kicked the bucket, but… Life had other plans. Didn't end up working out with any of them."

"What makes this different?" Brandon wondered. "What makes you sure that Bonnie's the _one_?"

He shrugged. "'Cause when I wake up, she's there, and I'm happy. Doesn't matter what happens throughout the rest of the day. I go to sleep and I wake up _happy_ …"

Brandon stared at him a long moment, and then nodded. "Good for you," he said, sincerely. "You deserve it."

Damon half-smiled. "Thanks… This mean you're going to share some of that leftover risotto with me?"

He snorted. "Not a chance."

* * *

Bonnie smiled when she saw his face light up her phone. She answered it with a swipe of her thumb. Quietly, so not to wake up anyone, she whispered, "Do you have any idea what time it is?"

"Late. Early. Depends on your perspective."

She rolled her eyes and dropped her head back against her pillow. "What're you still doing up? And don't say something stupid, like sniffing coke off a stripper's stomach."

"I'll have you know, Bubbles was a very respectable exotic dancer… And Danny, the _jerk_ , hogged all the coke."

She folded her mouth to hide her laughter. "Shut up."

He chuckled lightly. "Everybody's passed out. So, I'm just laying on the couch, staring at the ceiling… How about you?"

"Same. We're having a slumber party in Carla's basement. I'm pretty sure even the pillow I'm using is shaped like a penis."

"Lucky you. The only boobs I saw were Danny's when he got drunk and challenged Bubbles to a dancing contest. Worst decision of his life. But I got it on tape, _so_ …"

She shook her head. "You better not show that at the reception tomorrow."

"Of course not. I'm saving it for something big, like a birthday or an anniversary or something."

" _Damon_ …" She smothered a laugh.

"At the very least, I'm keeping it as blackmail material."

"Oh, please, like Danny would _need_ to be blackmailed."

"True."

She chewed her lip, and hugged the blanket a little higher on her chest. "Are you nervous? About tomorrow?"

"Are you?"

"I asked you first."

"I asked you _second_."

She sighed. "No. Not really. Not nervous. Just… I don't know. It feels big. _Huge_." Before he could interrupt, she added, " _That's what she said_. I know."

He laughed.

"I just mean… It's such a huge step. I guess I thought it'd be different. Or _feel_ different."

"Different how?"

"That my dad would walk me down the aisle. Caroline and Elena would stand with me. That my mom would _miraculously_ know and come back to give me some kind of pep talk about what it means to be a wife…"

"Bon… This is just paperwork. I mean, it's a nice dress and a killer ring, but… Even without all that, it was gonna be me and you until the end. I think we were technically common law anyway. So, really, you've been my wife for _a while_. You've already got it down, no pep-talks needed."

She blinked quickly. "Yeah," she whispered.

"I miss them, too. I wish Stefan could be here, brooding in the background, but I think we lucked out. With the friends we've got, the family we made… I wouldn't change it, not for anything."

Throat tight, she nodded, and closed her eyes, breathing through her nose.

"You there?"

"Yeah," she croaked out. "Just trying not to cry and wake somebody up."

"See? No Abby needed. I'm all the pep-talk you could ask for."

She huffed a laugh.

"You should get some sleep. You've got a pretty major walk down the aisle tomorrow."

"Okay." She sniffed and then wiped at her face. "I love you."

"Love you too. Goodnight."

"Night."

Bonnie hung up her phone and put it atop the couch arm. Turning onto her side, she smiled to herself as she closed her eyes, and drifted off to sleep.

* * *

**DAY OF THE WEDDING  
**

* * *

"How are you this awake? You drank the most last night…" Bonnie plucked a strawberry off the fruit platter laid out in front of her and popped it in her mouth.

Carla shrugged. "Sleep does me wonders." She motioned to the skillet with her flipper. "How do omelets sound?"

"Yes, please! You need any help?"

"I've got it." Carla smiled. "Naomi's on the phone with the wedding planner to make sure everything's going off without a hitch. The decorators are making sure the backyard looks perfect for the ceremony. And they got the bar trussed up last night, so it's good for the reception." She moved to the fridge to dig out the eggs, red and green peppers, mushrooms, bacon, and cheese.

Bonnie paused for a second, a blueberry hovering on her bottom lip.

"Are you okay? You look like I just smacked you with a frying pan."

Blinking, Bonnie nodded quickly. "Yeah, sorry. You just… You reminded me of someone for a second."

"Oh?"

"Yeah. Caroline." She smiled faintly. "She, uh… She was my best friend, practically since birth."

"Oh." Carla paused, putting the ingredients down and walked to the island. "She died, didn't she?"

Swallowing tightly, Bonnie nodded. The way Damon told the story, Stefan died trying to save Caroline's life, but they were both lost. It was strange, to think of it that way. To think of how all of their new friends thought their old friends were dead when, really, it was the opposite. She shook off the morbid thought and took a deep breath. "You would've really liked her. She was very organized. She'd basically been planning all of our weddings since we were little kids."

Carla grinned. "She sounds pretty great."

"She was. Yeah." She shook her head. "I've been thinking about them a lot lately, the closer it gets to the wedding. About Caroline and Elena and… all of my old friends."

"Must be hard. Not having them here."

"It is. But…" She stared across at Carla. "I'm really glad you're here, Carla. I couldn't have done _half_ of this without you. You've been amazing about this whole wedding planning thing and… You're one of my best friends. So, while I do miss Caroline and Elena, I'm really happy I met you and that you're here with me."

"Wow. Okay, I'm not supposed to be the one that cries today." She waved a hand at her face. "I'm extra emotional. Sofia's been with her babysitter since yesterday, so I'm really missing her, and now you're saying all of these nice things…" She laughed. "God, maybe I'm still a little drunk."

Bonnie grinned. "Then let's both sober up. I'll make coffee, you get the omelets. Deal?"

"Deal!"

* * *

"Why are you eating cold pizza?" Chris took a seat next to him on the couch as he channel-surfed.

"Maybe it's a throw back to my bachelor days." Damon tore a bite off with his teeth. "Or maybe it's the only thing in your fridge. Brandon, that rat, hid the risotto somewhere."

He snorted. "C'mon, get dressed. We're gonna go get something to eat."

"Are you taking me to _brunch_?" His eyebrows arched. "My deeply ingrained masculinity says no, but my stomach says _yes_ …"

Shaking his head, Chris walked toward the basement door. "I'm gonna get everyone up. You get ready. We've gotta pick up the tuxes at 12:30. Carla's already called three times, and the wedding planner _four_ times. We need to be _at_ the house by five."

"That's plenty of time." Still, Damon tossed the remote aside and stood from the couch. "We should stop by the bar, see how things are going there. Jin Sun's managing the food prep for the reception."

"Sure. I want to double check the stock anyway. I ordered extra for the wedding, but it'd be good to make sure."

"Cool. Hey, tell Danny he slept in and we're gonna be late and it's all his fault."

Chris snorted. "Asshole."

" _Thank you_."

* * *

"Hey."

Bonnie looked up from magazine in her lap. Their appointment at the salon for hair and make-up was running a little longer than expected, but so far nobody was complaining. Though, Carla was starting to look a little irritated.

Kayla, not the least bit perturbed, was standing in front of Bonnie, dressed in a bathrobe, her hair officially done.

Bonnie smiled at her. "Hey. What's up?"

Kayla shrugged. "I think my hair actually _hurts_ from being pulled so much, and I think I'm becoming allergic to hairspray, but, can't complain. The end result's not half bad."

Bonnie admired Kayla's elaborate braid/bun hybrid. "It looks beautiful."

"You look pretty good yourself." Grinning, Kayla took a seat next to her. "So, on a scale of 1 to 10, how terrified are you?"

"Actually, I'm pretty mellow." Bonnie's brow furrowed. "I mean, I woke up this morning and it kind of hit me, you know? I'm getting _married_. And that's..." She blew out a long breath. "I'm excited. I really am. I'm a little sad, too. Just because there were certain people I thought would be here to see it. But, at the same time, I also know that they'd be happy for me and _I'm_ happy for me."

"Me, too." Kayla reached out and took her hands, squeezing them. "I still plan on saying this later, when I toast you guys at the reception, but... You're a huge part of my life. You _changed_ my life in so many positive ways and I'm just... really _honored_ that I get to be a part of all this."

Bonnie's smile widened and her eyes brightened with tears. "I'm so grateful to have you in my life. You mean so much to both me and Damon. We wouldn't have it any other way."

"Good." Kayla laughed then. "I guess it's good my make-up's not done or I'd be getting yelled at for ruining it."

"Small miracles."

* * *

After stopping by the bar to make sure everything was in tip-top shape, Damon and his groomsmen made their way to the house. A white fabric aisle was laid out on the grass, from the end of the porch stairs to a flower-covered arbor, set up between the trees, bereft of its usual hammock. White fold out chairs were set up for their audience of friends, with lavender ribbons strung along the backs. Small, metal buckets were placed around, overflowing with bundles of flowers. Mason jars covered the porch railing, each with an unlit candle inside. Along the fence, strings of twinkle lights were hung, waiting to be turned on.

Damon whistled to himself and shook his head. "Was this all the wedding planner?"

"Some of it. Carla had a lot of input." Danny tucked his hands into the pockets of his pressed pants, his jacket sitting inside and the top buttons of his dress shirt undone. "It's been a long time coming, huh?"

"Yeah." His brows hiked as he let out a heavy breath. "Yeah, it has."

"It'll be good." Danny half-grinned at him. "I might be biased, but wedded bliss is pretty awesome."

There was a joke waiting at the end of Damon's tongue. It was easy to tease Danny. He never took anything too personally. But, at least for this moment, he decided to be sincere. "I'm still slightly terrified I'm going to mess it up somehow."

"Good."

He looked over at him, his brow furrowed. "Good?"

"If you're worried you'll screw it up, it matters. And when it matters, you work a lot harder at holding onto it." Danny reached out and squeezed Damon's shoulder encouragingly. "I've known you guys for, what, nine years? The only advice I've got is to keep loving her and respecting her and doing everything you can to make sure she knows it."

Damon nodded, and then he hung an arm around Danny's shoulder in a hug. "I hope that wasn't your best man's speech. I specifically said I didn't want any spoilers."

Danny laughed. "I've got more coming."

"Good." He cast his gaze back out at the backyard. "What time is it?"

"Guests should be arriving soon." Danny slapped a hand against his chest. "You got an hour tops."

* * *

Bonnie was starting to panic a little, sitting in the back of the limo on the way to her house, surrounded by her bridesmaids, each sipping at a glass of bubbly champagne.

While the other girls talked, Bonnie turned to Naomi. "What if he changes his mind?"

Sitting next to her, Naomi snorted. "In what world?"

"I don't know." She twisted her hands around in her lap. "I was fine an hour ago. I was ready to do this. Now I'm starting to wonder what happens in a day or a week or a year from now. What if marriage changes things?"

"Like what?" Naomi turned, resting her shoulder against the backseat, completely at ease. "That man worships the ground you walk on. He's not going anywhere."

"What if _I_ change? Or we fall out of love? Or he pulls away again?"

"Then you deal with it." She shrugged. "Getting married doesn't fix everything. Life is still gonna come at you just as fast as it did before. There'll be problems and you'll fix them. He'll screw up, apologize, and make it up to you, and you'll forgive him. _You_ will screw up and go through all the same motions. You're _human_ , Bonnie. We all have ups and downs. What matters is that you walk into it with a partner that's going to try just as hard as you do. Now, I can lie and say things will be blissful and perfect and you'll never have days where you want to shove that boy right off a cliff, but you don't want to hear that. The truth is, you love him. All the good parts and the bad and even the terrible, and he loves all those same things for you." She reached out and squeezed Bonnie's knee. "You know yourself better than me. You know _him_ better than me. So, you make the choice, Bonnie. We either drive this car to your house and we get you married or we take a U-turn and change direction. What's it gonna be?"

Bonnie stared at her a long beat and then nodded. "Okay. You're right."

"I always am, baby. But, which one are we doing?"

She laughed. "I'm getting married."

* * *

By six o'clock, the sky had a softer glow to it, painted a myriad of colors, from purple to pink to orange. The twinkle lights on the fence were on, the jars on the porch were lit, and a gentle breeze carried the scent of flowers. The guests started arriving at five, filling the seats in the yard. Damon had already seen the bridesmaids moving around inside, doing a few last touch ups, so he knew they'd arrived. That was the first hurtle, he guessed, making sure the bride actually showed up.

He wasn't scared, exactly. His hands were shaking, but he thought that might be more about anticipation.

Kayla found him just short of the arbor, her red wine gown seeming almost too feminine for the girl who preferred biker boots and leather. "Hey," she said, grinning as she reached out and socked him in the arm. "So, today's the big day."

"I'd hope so, otherwise we have a trespasser problem."

She rolled her eyes. "Getting nervous yet?"

"Nope." He rocked back on his heels and rubbed his hands together. "Just wanna get the show on the road."

"Uh-huh." She raised a skeptical eyebrow. "I could give you a pep-talk if you want."

He squinted at her. "All right, hit me with your best stuff."

"You're gonna do great," she said.

He blinked at her. "Is that it? That's the whole thing?"

"You want a hug or something?" She smothered a smile. "Look, you love her, right?"

" _Disgustingly_ so," he admitted without shame.

"Right, so just, remember that." She shrugged. "In a few minutes, she's gonna walk out here and promise to be a part of your life forever. You think she'd do that if she didn't mean it?"

"No."

"Exactly. She's just as disgustingly into you are you are her. So, put a ring on it." She socked his arm again and then turned on her heel.

As she walked away, he called out, "Hey, Kid?"

She looked back over her shoulder.

"Nice dress. Really brings out your soft, gooey side."

Kayla rolled her eyes. "Whatever."

He chuckled to himself as she left, but then the wedding planner was scurrying toward him. "Everybody needs to take their places, it's about to start."

Damon nodded but a tiny alarm bell was going off in his head. He was about to get married. After 180+ years, he was finally tying the knot, and, frankly, it couldn't be to a better person. Damon walked around the seated guests to take his place at the front. Danny and Chris stood just to his left, reaching over to pat him on the back encouragingly.

Clasping one hand around the opposite wrist, Damon pivoted to face the back, and took a deep breath.

Music began, and everyone shifted in their seats to face the back.

Carla walked out first, Sofia on her hip. Together, they held a basket of flower petals that they tossed along the ground as they walked up the aisle. When she reached the front, Sofia waved at them happily and Damon grinned down at her and waved back. Carla passed her daughter off to a friend sitting in the front row and then stepped to the side.

Next, Annette and Kayla walked down the aisle, arms linked together, and each holding a small bouquet of flowers. Kayla winked at him before taking her place next to Carla.

Naomi stepped out onto the porch then, elegant as ever, and stepped down to wait at the bottom of the stairs. In the front row, Carissa happily took a picture of her girlfriend. Next to her, Naomi's kids, Jasmine and Noah, were on their knees in their chairs, smiling at their mother widely.

And then Bonnie crossed the porch, pausing at the top of the stairs, swathed in white, the most beautiful thing Damon had ever seen in his life.

He wasn't sure if it was playing for everybody or just him, but Etta James' _At Last_ was filling his ears.

Bonnie was glowing, her mouth split wide in a smile. She walked down the stairs and took Naomi's hand, letting her best friend lead her down the aisle to meet Damon. Time seemed to slow down to a crawl then. Damon looked on with wide eyes, his heart lodged in his throat.

Her hair fell in loose waves across her shoulders, a white flower crown carefully laced throughout. She held a bouquet in her hands; green orchids, lavender roses, and purple hydrangeas. He had a small collection of the same flowers pinned to the lapel of his jacket.

Finally, after what seemed like _forever_ , she was in front of him. Naomi held Bonnie's hand out for Damon to take and he did so, eagerly. Nodding his thanks to Naomi, he returned his attention to Bonnie, drawing her in close. Her hips nearly brushed against his, her back curved as she leaned away, smiling at him knowingly.

"No kissing until we exchange vows," she said.

He looked to the minister then and raised his brows. "You heard the lady."

The minister smiled at him briefly. "Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to celebrate the union of Bonnie Bennett and Damon Salvatore. We stand here as witnesses to the culmination of their many years together. Years of friendship and love, of ups and downs, traversing a sometimes difficult world, supporting each other through good days and bad...

"Marriage is not something we undertake easily. It's something planned and shared. It will challenge you day in and day out to be the best person and the best partner that you can be. It will ask of you to think not only of yourself but of your other half. It will require patience and trust, love and support. It will remind you that even when you feel alone, there is one person who will always be by your side. Marriage is a promise to _try_. To give. To share. And to always listen.

"Here, today, Damon and Bonnie will pledge themselves to each other. To a life of love and joy and laughter."

While Damon could hear what the minister was saying, he was a little lost in Bonnie, staring up at him with stars in her eyes, her lips spread in a wide smile. She rubbed her thumb over his knuckles and he lifted her hand, pressing a kiss to her fingers.

"I believe the bride and groom have a few words to say..."

Damon glanced at the minster and then cleared his throat. He stared at Bonnie a moment, his gaze bouncing all over her beautiful, warm, happy face. "I had a speech. A long one. I think I rewrote it about six times, but nothing fit exactly like I wanted, so, I'm just going to wing it..." He stared at her, his eyes wide. "I don't know how we got here. If you asked me, back at the beginning, if I ever thought I'd be standing here with you, I would've laughed. I was just a reckless, angry, _angsty_ jerk and you were a judgy little rule-follower that never let me get away with anything... And even then, even at my worst, some part of me looked at you and wished I could be _half_ as good as you. Bonnie, the way you care and love and think of others is _unparalleled_..."

She blinked back tears, her lips trembling.

Damon squeezed her hand. "Every day, I'm grateful. That I _know_ you and I love you and somehow, against all reason, you love me, too. That after everything we've been through, all the good and all the bead, you became my _best_ friend and the greatest love I've ever had and _will_ ever know."

A tear slipped down her cheek.

"So, here, in front of all of our friends, I want you to know that I admire you and everything you stand for. I believe in you and everything you do. And I love you in ways I can't even put into words. You, Bonnie Bennett, have made me into the best man I could possibly be and I know that for the rest of my life, until we're old and gray and wrinkled beyond recognition, you will be right here, holding my hand, wanting better from and for me... And I can't _wait_."

Bonnie let out a thick, emotional laugh, and reached up to dash at her tear-streak cheek. "Okay..." She blew out a slow, shaky breath, and then nodded. "Damon... You are _so_ good and so kind and so _loving_. I wake up some mornings and I..." Her breath caught. "I feel _blessed_ because I feel loved every day. And when we met, that wasn't the case. Before you, before all of this, I was _lost_. I gave too much of myself away to people who would never know or appreciate it. And you helped me realize I deserved more. That I was _worth_ more. You have made me laugh and you've held me while I cried and there is no one in this world or the next that I trust more than you.

"Being with you, loving you, has taught me so much. About me and about _you_. Because you have grown into such a wonderful person who gives so much to so many people. I've been right here with you, watching you become someone who loves his life and his friends and his family. I've seen you overcome so much. You've struggled with your grief and your loss and come out a stronger person because of it. And I am _grateful_ that I got to experience that with you. Even on the days that you drive me crazy, I wouldn't change it. I cherish every day that we've had together, good and bad, because it's made you, and me, and _us_ stronger, better, more loving people."

She licked her lips and smiled up at him. "I love the person you were a thousand yesterdays ago, who you are today, and who you'll be in a thousand tomorrows. I might've been holding your hand, but I didn't build you into who you are, you built yourself, and I'm so _proud_ of you. I always will be. Whatever happens, I know that we'll get through it. Because you're my partner in everything I do, and I wouldn't have it any other way."

Damon grinned, his eyes burning.

"If we could have the rings," the minister said.

Damon turned and whistled then. An eager and excited Mina raced up the aisle, a pillow linked through her collar. She took a seat in ront of them, her tail wagging as her tongue lolling.

"Good girl." Damon released Bonnie's hands and bent, untying the wedding bands from a ribbon. He scrubbed his fingers over Mina's ears before he stood. Passing Bonnie the larger ring, he kept the smaller one and took up her hand.

"Do you, Damon Salvatore, take Bonnie Bennett to be your lawfully wedded wife, to have and to hold, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, until death do you part?"

Damon stared down at her. "I do," he said, as he slid the ring onto her finger.

"And do you, Bonnie Bennett, take Damon Salvatore to be your lawfully wedded husband, to have and to hold, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, until death do you part?"

She smiled tearfully, nodding as she whispered, "I do."

His wedding band slid into place and he let out a heavy breath. "Wow."

She laughed. " _Wow_ ," she agreed.

"By the power vested in me, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride."

"Hallelujah," he muttered, before he drew her forward, a hand at her waist as he leaned down.

Bonnie slid an arm around his neck, her fingers buried in his hair.

Damon's forehead met hers briefly, their noses dragging against each other. He met her eyes for a beat, tearful and happy, and then he kissed her. His _wife_. He laughed, pulling her in tighter, and lifted her up, right off the ground, her feet dangling as he spun her around in a circle. She laughed, too. Wrapping both arms around him, she met each slant of his mouth with a smile.

Vaguely, he could hear their friends clapping and cheering, but Damon's world narrowed down to her.

She drew her head back just a little, her lipstick smudged and her face lit up. "I love you," she said, soft and quiet.

Damon's heart squeezed hard in his chest. "I love you, too."

And then Danny was clapping him on the shoulder in congratulations, and Damon let her slide back down to land lightly on her feet. Still, he kept an arm around her, drawn in close, and pressed a kiss to the top of her head.

"If we could all move to the front of the house, the reception will be hosted at Mina's. There will be drinks and food, tons of pictures, and a _lot_ of dancing," Carla yelled for all to hear.

"Come on, you two," Naomi said. "We've got the limo waiting for you to make your debut as a married couple."

Damon hardly took his eyes off Bonnie as they were hustled out through the side gate to the front yard. She climbed into the limo first, pulling him in after, and then she was pressed against his side, her hand wrapped around his tie, bringing him in close.

With an excited giggle, she said, "We're married.

He grinned. "We are."

"It kind of feels like a dream. Do you feel like you're dreaming? I'm a little scared I'm going to wake up..."

Damon shook his head. He pulled her into his lap, his arm slung low around her waist, and reached up to brush her hair back from her shoulder. "I could pinch you if you want."

She rolled her eyes, but she was smiling.

"I think we can safely say that after all this time, it's not a dream. And our reality is pretty kickass, all things considered."

"It is, isn't it?" She leaned against him, her fingers smoothing around the collar of his shirt. "It's kind of crazy just how far we've come, from the people we were and how we felt about each other."

He slid his hand up and down her side gently. "The guy I was back then... He had no idea what was coming." He shook his head. "No idea what a lucky bastard he was going to be."

She snorted. "I don't know if he'd think he was lucky."

"Yeah, well, he was an idiot."

"Little bit." She rubbed her knuckles over his neck. "I couldn't say it out there without raising a few questions, but... Dying might've been the best thing to happen to me. The life we have here, I can't imagine it being any better than this."

"We've got a good sixty years ahead of us for me to show you just how much better it can get."

She reached up and pressed a hand to her cheek. "Stop. I can't smile anymore, it hurts."

Damon caught her chin with his fingers and drew her in, pressing a soft kiss to her lips. "I just need you to know that I take this seriously. I know I joke and avoid a lot of the hard stuff, but... You mean everything to me, Bonnie. And I know it's just a ring and a piece of paper, but as far as I'm concerned, you and I are _it_. I'm in this, a hundred percent. And when we grow old and die and it all loops, I hope I remember, so I can do it all over again."

Bonnie blinked quickly, her eyes bright, and nodded. "Me, too."

* * *

When they stepped inside of Mina's, a deafeningly loud cheer rang out. Damon swung Bonnie in a circle and she laughed, smiling widely at their friends. They were led to a table to sign their marriage certificate and then brought through the dining area. Seated at the center of a long table, with the wedding party spread out in either direction, they took their places, looking out on all their friends. The food had been prepared ahead of time and was being served as they took their seats.

Before anyone could start, however, Danny stood, knocking a fork against his glass of champagne.

"Hi, uh, I know you're all starving, I am too, but I just wanna say a few words real quick..." He clapped a hand down against Damon's shoulder and grinned at the crowd. "I'm Danny and I'm this guy's best friend and his _co_ -best man. I met Damon nine years ago when he moved here with his amazing girlfriend, Bonnie. Back then, Damon was, well, he was struggling a bit. He'd lost family and friends and he was looking for a new start. It wasn't always easy. He had some rough days, but the one constant in his life was Bonnie. She was his bright spot. If you know Damon, then you know that he lives and breathes every day of his life trying to make her happy. I don't think I've ever met a guy who works as hard as he does to be the kind of person his friends and his _wife_ can be proud of. He makes me want to try harder. He might even make me look bad, I don't know." He laughed lightly. "I do know that my life is better because I know him. And I'm glad that not only does he have Bonnie, but that she has him. They make each other happy and better and I really couldn't be happier for them." He raised his glass. "To Damon and Bonnie. _¡Salud!_ "

The crowd cheered back at him.

As he took his seat, Naomi stood. "Well, since we're starting the speeches early, I'll go next." Clearing her throat, she smoothed her hands down her dress and turned toward her friends. "Bonnie, from the moment I met you, I've felt like we bonded. You are my best friend and one of the best people I know. I've watched you grow and learn and become such a wonderful, strong, amazing woman. And I've watched you fall more and more in love with Damon every day. He brings out the best in you and you do the same for him. I'm so proud of you both for everything you've accomplished. The store and the bar are each just markers in a fantastic life. There's so much more for you to do and I'm glad I get to be here to see it all unfold. Congratulations to you both on this beautiful day. I love you guys, and I'm so happy to be here and a part of your lives." She raised her glass. "Thank you."

Bonnie pressed a hand to her heart and raised her glass with the other.

After that, it was a mixture of speeches in between eating. Jin Sun came out to personally congratulate them and ask how their food was. Bonnie was only slightly worried that all of her eating might be showing through her tight dress. But, it was worth it. Conversation spread across the tables and filled the room until Carla spoke into a microphone, drawing everyone's attention.

"If I could have the bride and groom out here for their first dance..."

Damon pushed his chair back and stood, holding a hand out for Bonnie to take. "Finally time for all those dance lessons to pay off."

She smiled and rose from her seat.

As he walked her out to the dancefloor, he gave her a little twirl. And then they were standing in the middle, toe to toe, his arm around her waist, the other hand raised to hold hers. The music started slowly and they began to move, a two-step she was familiar with from their many dances in the kitchen. And for a moment, that was exactly where she was. Back at the beginning, swaying in his arms, wondering if that feeling in her heart was something as simple as friendship or something wholly different. The woman she was nine years ago had struggled so much with her new reality, with their slowly-burgeoning friendship. Over time, the idea that she might love him had shocked and scared her in equal measure. It felt absurd now, to have wondered or questioned it at all. They'd come so far from then, from who they were and what they'd been through. They'd healed and grown and found themselves, independently and together.

"Penny for your thoughts?" he asked, dropping his forehead against hers.

"Is that the going rate these days?"

"You want me to calculate for inflation?"

She smiled. "Just reflecting..."

"It's been a long road." He slid his hand up her back, kneading her neck under the fall of her hair. "What was it you said when we were facing oblivion...? That I was probably wishing I was standing there with a _million_ other people instead of you."

"A couple thousand, at most."

His mouth hitched up. "There's nobody better. I wouldn't trade you for anyone or anything."

Bonnie tipped her head and stared up at him. "I hope not. This shiny ring on my finger says you're stuck with me."

He slid his hand down to her hip and gave her another twirl, drawing her in so her back was to his chest. His arm banded around her waist and he dropped his head down, nuzzling her neck. "I don't plan on letting you go."

Bonnie covered his arm with her own and leaned back against him. "Good."

* * *

At some point, Bonnie was dragged off to dance with Chris and then Danny and then Naomi. Damon found himself towing Kayla around the dance floor, spinning her dizzy.

"Okay, that's enough of that." She put her hand on his shoulder and gave her head a shake. "So, how's it feel to be a husband?"

"Floaty, but that might be a mixture of alcohol and dancing."

She snorted. "Maybe it's all three."

He shrugged. "Could be." Damon grinned when he noticed her leading their dance. "Where's Lisa?"

"Eating her weight in scallops." Kayla nodded her chin to where Bonnie was dancing around with Sofia, swinging her around in a circle, holding her chubby little arm up as they moved. "First comes marriage, next comes the baby in the baby carriage."

"Actually, first came k-i-s-s-i-n-g, which we did _a lot_ of."

Kayla scrunched her nose up. "Ew."

"Besides, if marriage took us nine years, I think we can wait a little longer for the baby." He stared down at her. "We already got one kid. Figure we should finish raising her first."

Kayla swallowed tightly and blinked against a sudden sheen of tears. Clearing her throat, she said, "I can legally drink, you know. I'm probably grown by now."

He grinned. "We've still got a few years to coddle you, Kid. Let us enjoy them."

She ducked her eyes and nodded. "For the record... You'd be a pretty awesome dad."

"Thanks." He gave her hand a squeeze. "You're an awesome daughter."

When she looked up at him, there was a softness in her face he hadn't seen before. "You guys kind of saved my life. I don't know where I'd be without you."

Damon hummed. "Well, you never have to find out."

She nodded. "I guess not."

"Come on..." He pulled her with him and made his way across the floor to Bonnie. "Our honorary kid is getting weepy on me. Wanna trade?"

Kayla socked him in the arm, but Bonnie just grinned. She handed him a happy Sofia and then took Kayla's hand, leading her back out onto the dance floor.

"Hey, slobber face," Damon said, tweaking Sofia's nose. "Where's your dad at, huh?"

She squealed. "Daddy, daddy, daddy," she said and kicked her legs.

Damon swung her around, sitting her on his hip as he searched the room. Eventually, he found Danny and Chris playing darts and crossed the floor to them. "Hey, look who wandered into the lost and found."

Danny grinned. He plucked Sofia up and peppered her face in kisses. "There's my girl." He looked up at Damon. "Where's yours?"

"Dancing with my wife." He grabbed up a dart and tossed it from hand to hand. "So, that's two out of three." He raised a brow at Chris. "Your turn next, buddy."

Chris smiled and leaned back in his chair. "We need a little more time to put things to rest."

He hummed. "How's that going?"

"Slowly. But, that's okay. Brandon needs time, and I need to prove myself."

"You'll get there." Damon was confident about that, at least. He knew better than anyone that people could get through just about anything and come out stronger for it. And if anyone could get through this, it was Chris and Brandon. He was sure that in another year or so, he'd be right back here, co-best man with Danny.

"Bonnie looks happy," Danny said.

Damon turned and looked out at the dance floor.

Bonnie and Kayla were laughing more than they were dancing. She did look happy. Radiant, really. Every time he looked at her, his heart jumped. A part of him was very solidly aware that she was his wife and it was over the moon about it. Another part was incredulous at the whole thing. In his wildest dreams, he couldn't have predicted this was where he would wind up, and yet... It felt right. Like this was exactly where he always supposed to be. If that was true, he couldn't say he hated it. After 180 long years, Damon wouldn't have called himself blessed, exactly. Too much had happened for him to feel that way. But, these last 9 years changed that. Death might've been the greatest gift he was ever given. He wasn't sure who to thank for that, but he knew he owed someone a debt of gratitude. Since he couldn't pass it on directly, he figured he'd just have to show his appreciation another way.

Leaving his friends to their dart game, he made his way back out onto the dance floor. Taking both Bonnie and Kayla's hands, he swung them around and brought them in against his sides, leading them into a swaying dance.

Life was good.

Better than he could've ever hoped for.

* * *

By the time the reception ended, it was late. They said farewell to their guests, hugging and shaking hands as each of them left. Carla promised to drop off the gifts and guest book in a few days and then shooed them out the door of Mina's. There was a clean-up crew coming in to dismantle the reception and put things back to order for tomorrow's regular day of work. Meanwhile, Bonnie and Damon returned home in the limo, climbing out to cross the cold, springy grass in bare feet. Bonnie swung her heels at her side, hanging off her fingers by the straps.

Before they could reach the front door, Damon took her hand and pulled her toward the gate, leading them through the backyard. The jar candles had long snuffed out, but he plugged in the twinkle lights still roped around their fence. Leading them up the stairs to the porch, he took a seat in his favorite chair and drew her into his lap.

Bonnie snuggled against him, her arm tucked around his waist and her head on his shoulder. It was a strange feeling, energy and excitement still buzzing inside of him, the noise of before long faded. The reception had been long and loud and wonderful. He missed a few familiar faces in the crowd, but he'd made peace with that. He wished Stefan could be there, he did. But, he wasn't going to live his life wishing for things that were out of reach. Not when what was in reach was far more than he deserved.

Damon combed his fingers through her hair gently, holding her other hand in his lap, his thumb rubbing back and forth over her wedding band.

Bonnie let out a quiet sigh. "Hey?"

"Hm?"

She tipped her head up to see him. "Have I mentioned lately that I love you?"

He stared at her, his mouth turning up in a slow grin. "Well, I love you more than bourbon and homemade pasta and my first-edition books and..."

"And?"

His face softened, sincere and serious. "More than the stars love the sky."

Bonnie's heart leapt. "That's a lot of love for one person."

"I have a lot of love to give," he joked.

"Yeah, you do." She pressed a kiss to his cheek then. "Damon?"

"Yeah?"

Her lips dragged down his neck. "Let's go to bed."

* * *

Bonnie stood just short of their bed, the end of her dress pooling around her feet. She tipped up at him as she pulled his already loose tie from around his neck, dropping it to the floor before she unbuttoned his shirt, leaning in to press a line of kisses down his chest. She pulled his shirt up from his pants and left it loose and hanging before she undid his belt and yanked it free.

Damon bent, dropping a kiss to her lips before he circled her, a hand dragging from her stomach to her hip and then climbing her back. He took his time opening each button that reached from the collar of her dress to the small of her back. She drew her hair to one side, letting it hang over one shoulder, and he pressed a kiss to the nape of her neck. Buttons undone, he peeled the fabric away, pushing the shoulders of her dress down her arms. Wiggling her hips side to side, she helped him strip her down, until her dress lay at her feet, leaving her in a purple, lace thong, a matching garter ringing her thigh.

Damon slid the backs of his hands down her arms, fingers trailing over her wrists, and then his palms were circling her thighs. He dragged the garter down with his teeth, until it reached her knee, and fell the rest of the way to the floor. Damon kissed the bend of her knee and then dragged the tip of his nose up the back of her thigh. Standing, he pressed a collection of random kisses all along her back. He dragged his teeth across her shoulder and buried his face in her neck as his hands slid up her sides, dragging his fingers over her ribs until she wiggled from the tickling sensation.

Bonnie leaned back into him, letting out a shaky breath, her eyes falling to half-mast. She had her hands cupped around her breasts, her thumbs drawing circles around her nipples. He slid a palm down her stomach and tucked the tips of his fingers in the front of her underwear. Spreading her legs, she tipped her head back to see him, her mouth parted. He leaned down to kiss her, catching her bottom lip between his teeth, as his fingers slid along the slit of her pussy.

Her breath hitched and he smiled, teasing her open as he his tongue teased over her flushed, full mouth. Sliding his free hand up her neck, he cupped it around her jaw, his thumb curving around her chin. His other hand slid deeper into her underwear, the heel of his palm grazing her clit. He slid a finger inside her, but moved it slowly, shallowly, just enough to keep her on edge. She reached a hand down and gripped his wrist, urging him on, wanting him deeper, harder. He refused, nipping at her lip when she let out a groan and pressed her hips down, searching for more pressure.

And then his hand was leaving her underwear and she was glaring at him.

He grinned. "What kind of husband would I be if I left you hanging?"

"A _terrible_ one."

"Exactly." He picked her up and dropped her down on the bed.

Bonnie's legs hung over the edge of the bed. Damon pulled her thong off quickly and tossed it aside before falling to his knees and pulling her to the edge by her hips. He hung her thighs over his shoulders and opened her up to him.

"See? Isn't this much better?"

Bonnie's breath came quicker. She lifted up on her elbows and looked down at him, a brow raised. "It's got promise."

He grinned before turning his head. He left sucking, nippings kisses on the inside of her thigh, trailing them down to her pussy, but stopping short before he switched to the other thigh. He slid a hand around and pressed it flat against her stomach before he buried his mouth against her, holding her down as he dragged his tongue from one end of her slit to the other. He took his time, in no hurry to push her over the edge. He reached another hand up, dragging the tips of his fingers from her navel to her breastbone. His fingers flared to the right and curved under the swell of her breast, cupping it. His thumb drew swirling patterns across her skin, circling but not quite touching her nipple.

Reaching down, her fingers tangled in his hair, tugging on it whenever she started to feel her orgasm building only for him to stop. Just as he picked up speed and every muscle in her body coiled with anticipation, he slowed down. And then he pulled away entirely, pressing kisses to her thighs and her hip bones, before standing. He shrugged his shirt off, tossed it away, and shuffled out of his pants, letting them drop to the floor.

Biting her lip, her body humming, she welcomed him as he slid on top of her, his body pressed flat to hers. He left soft kisses across her chest and arms and shoulders. He mouthed up her neck and across her chin, teetering there. Her thighs squeezed his sides, urging him on, and he reached down between them. Taking his cock in hand, he dragged himself against her, and watched her eyes flutter closed briefly. And then he was sliding into her, inch by inch. He caught her hand and drew them up, folding their fingers together as their arms arched above her head. Damon dug his knees into the bed and lifted himself up. He pulled out of her slowly and watched her teeth scrape over her lip, and then he slid back in, harder and faster each time. Her body bounced, sliding up the bed a little, and her fingers dug into the back of his hand, leaving crescent shapes in his skin.

Dropping his head down, he kissed her. She wrapped her free arm around him, her nails digging into his back. He turned his head and buried his face against her neck, breathing hard against her. He could feel her ring against his hand and it made him smile. He coiled his hand around her shoulder, slid it under her to cup the nape of her neck, and kneaded as he picked up his pace. She rocked her hips up and ground against him, one of her legs wrapping around his waist and squeezing.

He wanted to take his time, but she was so ready and she felt so good that he found it hard to slow down. They had all night. More than that. They had their whole damn lives. Still, this felt important. Damon couldn't begin to count how many times he'd had sex. With Bonnie alone, the number was phenomenal. But this... Some sentimental part of his brain reminded him that he was making love to his _wife_ and that somehow made it so much more powerful. She was his and he was hers in every way they could be.

She whispered his name, a cracked sob following, and he didn't feel like drawing it out anymore. He could do that later. Right now, he just wanted to make her feel good. So, he did. He made her feel _amazing_. No more teasing and pulling back. He slid a hand down between them and strummed her clit as he kissed her cheek and the corner of her mouth and dragged his teeth over her chin. He slid into her, as hard as she wanted him to, and when she burst around him, her nails scoring his back and her hand squeezing his so tight it almost hurt, he followed her over the edge. Bliss broke over him, spreading from limb to limb, leaving him warm and light. He laughed, pressing a kiss to the pulse hammering at her neck, and pushed a hand down against the bed, to roll himself over.

Only, she stopped him, holding him against her, their skin slick and overwarm. She reached up and stroked his hair back from his face, scrubbing her fingers behind his ear and down his neck. Staring up at him from soft eyes, her face flushed, she didn't say anything. She just pulled him down for a kiss, sipping at his lips as she stroked her hand down his neck and across his back. Slowly, they detangled, and turned over to lay on their sides, facing each other.

Damon slid a finger from her temple, down her face, along her neck, and across her shoulder, trailing it along arm until it reached her finger, where her ring sat. He raised her hand and pressed a kiss to the palm.

He knew true peace in that moment. Happiness and contentment and excitement for where he was and where he was gong.

This was the first day of the rest of his life and couldn't wait to spend it with her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i'm super late, i know. in my defense, i've written a lot of weddings and it can start to feel monotonous, so i got a little blocked trying to make theirs seem more unique to them and get myself motivated to write it. having already decided the finale was probably going to epically suck, i finally pushed past that writer's block and finished up this chapter with tonight in mind. and i'm quite happy with it. i'm not at all happy with how the show ended, but that's a rant for another time.
> 
> i know a lot of people are concerned that with the end of the show, a lot of fic writers are going to stop, but i don't plan to. i have a lot of stories that i'm still working on and that i plan to finish. i have a lot of stories i haven't posted that i want to finish and share with you. i love this ship and i love writing for them. so i still plan to be here, writing them. and i really hope you'll all stick around and keep reading.
> 
> thank you all for being such amazing readers and supporters of this ship. i hope this might make up just a little for that finale. xo
> 
> please, try to leave a review! they're such a huge motivational factor.
> 
> thank you all for reading,
> 
> \- **Lee | Fina**


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